Busan Church 'In-Person Worship' Lifted... Busan City Decides on 'Limited Permission'

From the 7th, In-Person Worship with Under 50 People Allowed
'Administrative Orders' and 'Religious Freedom' Conflict Subsides
Enhanced 'Social Distancing Level 2' Extended for 2 More Weeks

A notice stating that in-person worship services at Busan Yeongnak Church have been suspended and replaced with video worship services since August 22 is posted.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] From the 7th, in-person worship services will be allowed in Busan.

For churches that find online worship difficult, in-person worship with fewer than 50 people will be allowed on a limited basis. However, the friction between the Christian community and administrative authorities over the 'administrative order' and 'freedom of religion' is expected to subside.

Busan City has so far only allowed non-face-to-face worship services, fearing the spread of COVID-19 within the region through gatherings like the Gwanghwamun rally and Sarang Jeil Church.

Unlike the metropolitan area, Busan City announced on the 4th that, considering that no additional confirmed cases have occurred through churches even two weeks after the first confirmed case, and that most churches are complying well with quarantine rules, it will allow in-person worship with fewer than 50 people from the 7th for churches that have difficulty conducting online worship.

However, Busan City decided to extend the strengthened social distancing level 2, which was implemented proactively to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection, for two more weeks until midnight on September 20.

Since the elevation to social distancing level 2 on August 17, the city has implemented strengthened quarantine measures such as banning gatherings at high-risk facilities from the 21st, banning gatherings at bathhouses from the 22nd, and mandatory mask-wearing.

Although joint inspections with district offices, police, and others are being strongly enforced, confirmed cases continue to occur. After consulting experts, the city decided on this extension considering the rapid increase in cases with unclear infection routes.

The following measures will change along with the extension period.

First, an administrative order banning gatherings was issued on the 4th for unregistered and illegal multi-level marketing business briefings, and investment briefings targeting unspecified large groups such as real estate, stocks, and virtual currencies.

Recently, there have been consecutive confirmed cases centered around offices, such as stock and real estate investment consultations in officetels. Due to many blind spots in quarantine conducted unofficially in unregistered and illegal states, urgent administrative orders were issued.

Violations of the order will result in immediate prosecution, and in case of confirmed cases, the city plans to strongly respond by claiming compensation for treatment and diagnostic test costs.

Citizens are actively encouraged to report secret meetings, and the reward for reporting will be increased from 100,000 won to 1,000,000 won.

Second, regarding bathhouses, since no additional infections have occurred after the infection on August 28, if no further infections occur by September 10, when the self-quarantine period ends, the gathering ban order will be eased to a gathering restriction order immediately.

Strict compliance with core quarantine rules such as mask-wearing and maintaining a 2-meter distance is required, and a one-strike-out system will be implemented where facilities violating quarantine rules during compliance inspections will be issued a gathering ban order.

Third, for churches, in-person worship with fewer than 50 people will be allowed from the 7th. Not only will the number of attendees be limited at worship sites, but strict quarantine rules such as mask-wearing and social distancing must be observed, and strong measures such as immediate prosecution will be taken if these are not followed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.