[Cheonji Ilbo = Reporter Soo-kyung Kang] "High levels of blood plasma need to be continually gathered as raw material for analysis of antibodies and development of Covid-19 treatment." 

- July 13th 2020, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -

- August 29th 2020, Jun-wook Kwon, Deputy Head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -

“(Regarding the international response to the mutant strain) We are also measuring the level and duration of naturally acquired immunity to Covid-19 through blood plasma donations provided by Shincheonji members.” 

- January 26th 2021, Jun-Wook Kwon, Deputy Head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - 

The majority of blood plasma donations made for finding a treatment for patients with the novel coronavirus infection (Covid-19) in Korea have been made by Shincheonji Church members. Health authorities have expressed their gratitude to Shincheonji Church for this several times. In spite of police search and seizure, a prosecution investigation and the successive arrests of Shincheonji Church representatives, church members began donating plasma out of concern to those suffering from the virus. The blood serves as healing medicine and is also being used as research on mutant strains which is now causing worldwide concern due to high infection rates.

Shincheonji Daegu Church members, who recovered after being infected with Covid-19, have donated their own blood plasma to develop a treatment.

Last year, Shincheonji Daegu Church gathered its congregants to carry out group plasma donations on three occasions. A total of 3741 people completed donations through the first, second and third rounds, in addition to individual donations.

The total donation accounted for 91.3% of all 4096 plasma donors, as of December 15th 2020. Among them, 1561 (41.7%) members donated via two or more plasma donations, reflecting a high participation rate. Most Shincheonji Church believers not only took time off work to donate their blood plasma, but also refused the given transportation allowance of 200,000 to 300,000 KRW (c.£130-195).

Chairman Man-hee Lee of Shincheonji Church reassured and encouraged believers post-recovery to donate their blood plasma for the betterment of their neighbours. In the 2021 New Year's Address, Shincheonji Church announced that they would continue to donate their blood plasma.

Deputy Head Jun-wook Kwon visited the blood plasma donation site, saying, “The blood plasma donation by Shincheonji believers who have recovered from Covid-19 will make a tremendous contribution to, ultimately, eradicating Covid-19. Their deeds and acts are exemplary.”

Blood treatment for Covid-19 is concentrated and purified by extracting the plasma of a recovered Covid patient to find an agent for therapeutic effect. Blood plasma provided by Shincheonji Church believers is being used not only to treat COVID-19, but also as research into a mutant strain that is now causing widespread concern worldwide.

Jun-wook Kwon, Deputy Head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, held a regular briefing on Covid-19 on the 26th last month, saying, "We are measuring the level and duration of naturally acquired immunity to Covid-19.”