"Since Last November, 15% of Cluster Infections in Religious Facilities...Strict Action Against Illegal Activities (Update)"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The government has indicated that it will take strict action against violations of quarantine guidelines and other illegal activities at religious facilities, following the continuous occurrence of cluster infections through religious facilities such as the BTJ Yeolhap Center. The special quarantine measures for social distancing and the Lunar New Year holiday, to be announced tomorrow on the 17th, will also include plans to strengthen quarantine measures for religious facilities.

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' quarantine team, said at the regular briefing of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 15th, "Since November last year, about 15% of all cluster infections have occurred at religious facilities such as churches," adding, "We are planning to reasonably adjust the quarantine guidelines by considering opinions from the religious community that emphasize the need to consider differences in facility size and quarantine capacity, but will strictly deal with violations of guidelines and other illegal acts in the future."

In particular, as cases of refusal to comply with assembly restriction orders and non-cooperation with epidemiological investigations and testing have occurred, the government plans to enhance the effectiveness of suspension of operations and closure orders for facilities violating quarantine guidelines through amendments to laws and regulations.

Yoon said, "We will establish detailed procedures and standards for suspension of operations and closure orders for facilities that continuously violate quarantine guidelines, and plan to expand the authority to issue orders, currently granted to city and county heads, to provincial governors as well," emphasizing, "If facilities subject to assembly restriction and closure orders fail to comply with correction orders, we will strictly respond according to the law."

Additionally, the quarantine authorities will make every effort to track, identify, and test hidden subjects related to the BTJ Yeolhap Center cluster infection.

Yoon stated, "Despite testing orders, about 1,300 people, approximately 45% of those related to the BTJ Yeolhap Center, have not yet been tested," adding, "For these individuals, we will verify and track location information through cooperation with mobile carriers, deploy rapid response teams (totaling 8,602 police officers) to thoroughly identify their whereabouts, and conduct immediate testing."

He further added, "Those who refuse testing will be reported for violating testing orders under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and we will respond swiftly and strictly in accordance with laws and principles."

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