Related to New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19): Q&A against Fake News about Shincheonji Church of Jesus

Related to New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19):Q&A against Fake News about Shincheonji Church of Jesus 

Q. Does Shincheonji Church of Jesus encourage its believers to hide their attendance at worship service and do missionary work? 

A. Not at all. The General Assembly Headquarters of Shincheonji Church called for an immediate ban on all meetings, worship gatherings and access to its churches throughout Korea after it was confirmed that a believer in Shincheonji’s Daegu church had been infected with COVID-19 ("Patient 31") on 18th of Feb. An official order was sent to all branch churches to replace all worship services with collective worship services online. 

The Daegu branch of Shincheonji Church also immediately closed its church and mission centers and banned all meetings, missionary work and contact between church members after verifying the 9am news about "Patient 31". The church in Daegu then conducted an epidemiological survey according to guidelines issued by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and Daegu Metropolitan Council. And it took action asking all believers throughout the church to isolate themselves and it carried out medical examinations for believers with symptoms. 

The General Assembly Headquarters instructed all Shincheonji believers by text message that anyone who had visited the Daegu church isolate themselves and all believers refrain from outside activity, and promptly inform public health centers of any signs of fever. 

The “False Response Manual”, which rumors in circulation identify as a “Notice from the Ministry of Liaison & Public Relations of the church in Daegu,” is in reality neither an official guideline issued by Shincheonji’s General Assembly Headquarters nor Shincheonji’s church in Daegu. The church in Daegu issued all its guidelines and provided full cooperation with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and other organizations upon their visit to their church at 9am. 

The notice was sent in writing by a believer from Daegu church with personal judgement. After this was confirmed, Shincheonji Church corrected it and immediately punished the believer. 

The General Assembly Headquarters sent a request to all churches throughout Shincheonji that they follow these guidelines without applying their own judgement and cooperate with health authorities to prevent such an incident from happening, as had occurred on the 19th Feb. 

To date, Shincheonji Church of Jesus has repeatedly stated that it will adhere to government policy and has cooperated with epidemic prevention authorities throughout. Shincheonji Church prays for the swift recovery of all infectees - including Shincheonji believers - and is actively working to end this current national crisis. 

Q. Doesn’t Shincheonji Church of Jesus cooperate with health authorities? 

A. This is false. Health authorities have requested data on certain infectees according to legislation on infection disease control, and Shincheonji Church of Jesus has actively cooperated. Shincheonji Church delivered a list of all its Daegu church believers to health authorities, as well as a list of all believers who had visited the church to each local health center. 

In addition, Shincheonji Church of Jesus had identified all visitors to its church in Daegu of their own accord and instructed them to isolate themselves and inform their public health center. Shincheonji Church has shared this situation with local governments throughout Korea. 

Prevention and management of infectious diseases is a very important issue that is directly related to the public’s health and is linked to social anxiety caused by fear of infection. In accordance with the guidelines of health authorities, Shincheonji Church has actively cooperated to minimize the possibility of infection spread to the community by allowing a thorough investigation and diagnosis, and by faithfully acting according to the results of the diagnosis and epidemiological investigations. 

Q. Did the individual in quarantine ("Patient 31") assault a nurse and riot while Shincheonji believers congregated to make a fuss? 

A. Such content has been spread to online forums and messaging systems since the morning of the 19th, but it’s simply not true. Infectees in quarantine are isolated according to infection prevention laws; if they do not follow the law, they can be fined up to 3 million won. The hospital nurse also confirmed that this was fake news. Moreover, it is impossible congregating to make a fuss outside Daegu Medical Center, which is currently closed. 

Q. Are believers of Shincheonji Church of Jesus not actively being examined? 

A. Shincheonji’s church in Daegu is providing a list of all its believers to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), and plans to undergo gradual testing and conduct of a full investigation. Believers throughout Shincheonji’s churches in South Korea - not only members of Daegu church - and those with fever have been advised to contact their local health center. 

The General Assembly Headquarters is placing the health and safety of believers and the community as top priority. Please refrain from unconfirmed speculative reports. 

Q. Did Shincheonji Volunteer Group go to Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo to carry out volunteer work and transmit COVID-19? 

A. Shincheonji Volunteer Group has never visited Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo. 

Q. Did "Patient 31" go to the funeral home in Daenam Hospital, Cheongdo, and spread the COVID-19? 

A. She visited Cheong-do in early February, but she has never visited Cheongdo’s Daenam Hospital. 

Q. Did Chinese believers attend the funeral of the brother of Chairman Man hee Lee at Cheongdo’s Daenam Hospital? 

A. This is not true. Shincheonji Church is currently trying to identify those believers who attended the funeral (at 16:00 on the 21st of February). 

Q. Does Shincheonji have a church in Wuhan, China? Didn't they visit South Korea? 

A. In the case of overseas churches in Shincheonji, those with more than 120 believers after having begun missionary work are raised to the administrative status of a 'Church.' Because of religious oppression in China, the church is named 'Wuhan Church,' but there is no actual meeting place or church building. And since 2018, we've been bringing all our meetings and services online. Moreover, the entire city was sealed off in January, so there is no permitted access to South Korea. 

Q. Is it true that 340 to 800 believers of Shincheonji Church have gone into seclusion and avoided contact with health authorities? 

A. All believers of Shincheonji Church of Jesus are complying with the guidelines issued by health authorities. There can be some delays because of personal circumstances or sequential contacts. Shincheonji Church has repeatedly asked believers to comply with the direction set by the health authorities and their respective health center. 

Q. Seoul Metropolitan Government and Gyeonggi Province have announced that they will close Shincheonji Church and all related institutions. 

A. Shincheonji Church has closed down all its branch churches and mission centers across the country since the 18th and has disinfected them until the 21st of February. 

Q. Video footage is circulating of a confirmed patient escaping from an isolation ward and striding down the street. Is this true? 

A. This is not true at all.

Q. Is it true that COVID-19 spread because of the special worship culture in Shincheonji Church of Jesus? 

A. The temple in Shincheonji Church of Jesus does not differ from ordinary places of worship and the worship culture is not so different. Please refrain from speculative reports. 

Q. Is it true that orders came down from Shincheonji Church telling believers not to attend services in Shincheonji Church this week, but to go to the established church and spread COVID-19 and make it an issue not limited only to Shincheonji Church? 

A. This is completely groundless. From the 18th of February, the General Assembly Headquarters closed churches nationwide and instructed them to have collective worship services online. In addition, all the believers of Shincheonji Church are prohibited from gathering, evangelizing and meeting other believers. All believers are now complying with the health authorities' guidelines as faithfully as possible. In response to the spread of such disinformation on social media and the wider community, Shincheonji Church of Jesus will take strong legal action and hold them responsible for spreading false information.