Life has changed dramatically worldwide since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) that originated from Wuhan, China, and it seems as if life has taken on a new normal as we don masks and keep ourselves, for the most part, locked up at home. In South Korea, there has been much commotion since the 31st confirmed case ('patient 31') in mid-February 2020 that was linked to a congregation member of Shincheonji Church, Daegu, and the subsequent rise in cases that was attributed to the church. How did this happen? Who is to blame? History will not forget the current happenings in South Korea.

Starting from mid-February 2020, a congregant of Shincheonji Church in Daegu unknowingly contracted COVID-19 and attended a church service. From then on, the disease spread like wildfire. Up until today, the South Korean government has accused Shincheonji Church of being the 'reason’ for the subsequent spread of COVID-19 in the country. The  Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) alleged that this religious organisation tried to hinder the prevention of the spread of COVID-19, even though what happened took place immediately after President Moon Jae-In encouraged citizens to live their normal daily lives.

Korean press reiterated KCDC's claims that Shincheonji Church was to blame for the rise in cases and public opinion became distorted and worsened. The government shut down all Shincheonji-owned and Shincheonji-affiliated buildings including its churches, training centres and offices. Is Shincheonji Church the perpetrator?

The facts are as follows: COVID-19 originated outside Korea, in Wuhan, China, where 'patient 31' had not visited. She had contracted the virus from someone else while the country was off-guard, being told that it was safe from COVID-19.

After months of accusations and blaming of Shincheonji Church, the KCDC finally admitted that COVID-19 had come into Korea from Wuhan, China. Eunkyung Jeong, the head of the KCDC, said, “COVID-19 came from China. After the inflow, the disease spread throughout the regions by patients who had mild to no symptoms. We did our best to deal with COVID-19 without blockading access to or from China.” (https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/ranking/article/003/0009977574).

Moreover, research shows that 0.03% of Korean citizens had COVID-19 antibodies. Yet the rate in Daegu stood at 7.6%, showing a 253-time increase over the average rate of the whole country. Having the COVID-19 antibody means they had COVID-19 and got well (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-southkorea/undiagnosed-virus-infections-could-be-27-times-higher-in-south-koreas-daegu-city-study-idUSKCN24N0CJ). 

The KCDC investigated all known contacts related to 'patient 31', tracked, tested and then quarantined them. The officially reported COVID-19 cases in Daegu stand at 7088 (KCDC, 09.09.2020). About 180,000 Daegu citizens COVID-19 without knowing that they had/carried the disease. This leads to one conclusion; that COVID-19 was already widely spread in Daegu, Korea, before the 31st case. It was not the fault of Shincheonji Church but a failure to prevent the spread of the disease. If one is in ‘need’ to attribute blame, then that should fall on the South Korean government who hesitated in blocking the source of COVID-19. These facts are now being spread throughout the world and the truth revealed. 

Although Shincheonji Church congregants have had personal information leaked to the public and suffered subsequent discrimination and severe persecution that has led to two deaths, a total of 1646 Shincheonji Church members have so far donated their convalescent blood plasma to help aid research and development of a vaccine.