Sarangejeil Church 'Obstruction of Epidemiological Investigation' Investigation to Accelerate... "Request for CCTV Submission, Epidemiological Investigation Methods"

Police Receive Response from KDCA Inquiry
Warrant Previously Rejected for Pastor and Elder Who Leaked CCTV Footage
Situation Changes as Quarantine Authorities Acknowledge

Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon, who is being re-incarcerated due to the cancellation of bail, is being escorted from his residence near Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu on the afternoon of the 7th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] It has been reported that the police received a response from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) stating that the request for closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage submission constitutes an "epidemiological investigation method." Accordingly, the investigation into the obstruction of epidemiological investigation related to Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, is expected to accelerate.

According to the police on the 16th, the Intelligent Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which is investigating this case, recently inquired with the KDCA whether the request for CCTV footage qualifies as an epidemiological investigation method. In response, on the 11th of this month, the KDCA delivered a written reply to the police stating, "Requesting and analyzing CCTV data constitutes an epidemiological investigation method."

This contradicts the reason given earlier by the court when it dismissed the police's application for an arrest warrant. On the 22nd of last month, the police applied for arrest warrants for Pastor Lee and Elder Kim of Sarang Jeil Church on charges of violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. They are accused of diverting the church's CCTV footage in August to obstruct the epidemiological investigation by the quarantine authorities.

However, the court dismissed the warrants, stating, "There is room for dispute over whether the request for CCTV footage submission qualifies as an epidemiological investigation method as defined by the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act and its enforcement decree."

This recent judgment by the quarantine authorities is expected to serve as grounds that since CCTV footage plays an important role in epidemiological investigations, damaging or destroying it may constitute obstruction of the epidemiological investigation.

The police are reportedly reviewing whether to reapply for arrest warrants against Lee and Kim. Meanwhile, the police recently conducted an interview investigation with Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, who is currently detained at Seoul Detention Center. It is known that the police investigated whether there was intentional omission or concealment of the list of believers and involvement in obstructing the epidemiological investigation.

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