▲ Seoul officials to guide the ban on assembly
Coronavirus Infectious Diseases-19 (Corona 19) Some churches in Seoul held field worship services today (5th), where 'high-strength social distances' are being implemented to suppress the spread.
Moon Jae-in Hayam National People's Struggle Headquarters (Bum To Bon), led by Pastor Kwang-Hoon Jeon of the Korean Christian Association, held a 'Sunday United Worship' at Seongbuk-gu Sarajeil Church this morning.
The church received an administrative order to ban rallies from the city of Seoul until the 5th of the following month, when it was revealed that it had not implemented the quarantine rules such as 'maintaining the distance between the believers' in the worship service on the 22nd of last month.
However, Sarang Cheil Church violated this on the 29th of last month and performed an offline worship service.
Some believers shouted at the city hall officials, "This is a meeting, a place of worship," or approached the field reporters to protest the camera with a placard, but there was no physical conflict.
The church measured the body temperature of the believers who attended the service, determined whether it was a member, and sent it into the chapel.
The believers who could not enter because the chapel was full due to the gap, worshiped while sitting on a chair installed on the outside alley by the church.
An official from the church said, "We only allowed registered church members to enter, and we sat inside the chapel at a distance of more than 1m."
The Seoul Metropolitan Government sent three city hall employees in agreement with the church this morning to check whether they are properly complying with the quarantine regulations.
Outside the church, about 100 employees from the Seoul City and Ward offices were waiting to maintain order, and the police dispatched two squadrons to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency today announced that it has provided 517 police force to 206 religious facilities in response to Seoul's request for administrative support to prevent the spread of corona19.
An official at the Seoul City Hall, who came out after the inspection at about 11:30 am, said, "Even though efforts have been made to keep the rules of quarantine, such as adding more distance than last week, the government will accuse them of disobeying administrative orders and carrying out worship services." "I did not submit the list of attendees and did not submit it, so I found it a violation of the quarantine regulations."
He explained, "I think worship is also included in the meeting, and it is illegal to take the road outside the church."
Gwanglim Church in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, also performed offline worship together with online worship this morning.
Church officials in quarantine uniforms installed a thermal camera at the entrance and sent out only registered members.
"After having worshiped online, I thought I couldn't just come directly to the chapel," said A, a member of the 60s who came out of the service.
The Yonsei Central Church in Guro-gu, Seoul also held a chapel service.
An official from the church said, "I am instructing you to worship online, but you cannot stop the Saints who come to you."
If religious facilities, martial arts, indoor sports facilities, and entertainment facilities are to be opened, it is necessary to comply with the regulations set by the quarantine authorities, such as checking for fever, allowing access, and maintaining an interval of 1 to 2 m between people.
Meanwhile, Myeong-Dong Catholic Cathedral in Jung-gu, Seoul, which had halted Mass as a precaution against Corona 19, opened the cathedral for believers who came to pray for private prayer until the weekend, but today it was forbidden to enter the cathedral except for the officials to take a video of the Catholic Peace Broadcasting Mass.
Believers who did not know this and visited the cathedral quietly prayed or stepped in front of the cathedral.
At the same time, the grounds of Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul were also rare.
After measuring the body temperature at the entrance, writing a guestbook, and disinfecting the hands, only a part of the Shinto shrine was sitting in the Grand Palace.
(Photo = Yonhap News)