A populist pastor is at the center of the surge of COVID-19 in South Korea
When the Covid-19 has hit the world, the governments have paid their attention to South Korea for its prompt response to contain the virus. South Korea’s confirmed cases and death toll is far lower than America and most European countries. Many countries have sought help to Korea, importing test kits from the country. But Korea, which seemed successfully fighting against pandemic, is now seeing the surge of new coronavirus cases. The country tightened social distancing again. Jun Kwang-hoon, a populist pastor, and Sarang Cheil church, an evangelical church led by Jun, is to blame.
In South Korea, Jun Kwang-hoon, the self-proclaimed Christian pastor, is notorious for provoking anti-government sentiment to his followers, mostly the old people, by taking advantage of their anti-Communism, indoctrinated by the dictators. Like other some populists in Seoul, Jun claimed that the left-leaning government is pursuing “the Communism” by trying to establish the inter-Korean relationship, helding summits with Pyongyang. By spreading fake news on Youtube, the populist pastor spread the hatred of the left-leaning government, even claiming that Moon Jae-in, the incumbent president of South Korea, stuffed the ballot box, in the presidential election in 2017, to justify his rhetoric.
On August 15th, he and Sarang Cheil church organized a massive demonstration to oust Moon Jae-in, even though he was ordered to be quarantined, as he is likely to be infected with the coronavirus. But, violating the order, he attended the demonstration on August 15th, mobilizing his followers under the name of “patriotism”, whipping up the hatred of the Moon’s administration.
On August 17th, he tested positive. Moreover, hundreds of participants of the demonstration tested positive, and the daily new coronavirus case in South Korea started to record 3 digits for the first time in recent 3 weeks. And, after the massive demonstration, thousands of people, mostly members of Sarang Cheil Church, are asked to quarantine. The church officials ordered its followers to refrain from taking Covid-19 test until the end of demonstration in Gwanghwamun, though they have symptoms of the pandemic.
After the demonstration, Jun deliberately faked the list of the participants of the rally to Seoul City officials who are bashing away at preventing the rise of Covid-19. The authorities had difficulty in tracing the whereabouts of coronavirus patients and people who’ve contacted them.
No wonder Korean citizens are outraged by Jun Kwang-hoon and his church. Since April, South Korea’s daily new cases have recorded less than 80 on average. But, as Jun mobilized Sarang Cheil Church followers, hosting a training camp for the demonstration in Gwanghwamun, the central region in Seoul, on August 15th, the pandemic started to surge.
On the official website of Blue House, the presidential office in Seoul, over 220,000 people signed up for an online petition calling for the arrest of Jun Kwang-hoon, as of 4pm, August 17th(GMT+9). The petition says that Jun organized dozens of illegal protests, even with the government officials’ order to ban protests as stated on Article 49 of the Infection Prevention Act in South Korea, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The petition also pointed out that in March, Jun was arrested for staging an illegal protest, calling for citizens to support the far-right wing party, defaming Moon Jae-in, ahead of the general election in April. These were the obvious violations of the Election Law and the government’s order to disband protestors for the prevention of Covid-19. But, after being released on bail, Jun staged protests against the government, leading Korea to see the spike in daily new coronavirus cases.
The petition also pointed out that in March, Jun was arrested for staging an illegal protest, calling for citizens to support the far-right wing party, defaming Moon Jae-in, ahead of the general election in April. These were the obvious violations of the Election Law and the government’s order to disband protestors for the prevention of Covid-19. But, after being released on bail, Jun staged protests against the government, leading Korea to see the spike in daily new coronavirus cases.
Chu Mi-ae, the minister of Justice, announced that the Ministry of Justice will strictly punish all organizations and individuals that disturb the authorities to take preventive measures on coronavirus, organizing illegal protests against the government’s Covid-19 guideline and social distancing. Her announcement indicates that the Ministry of Justice would take legal action against Jun Kwang-hoon and Sarang Cheil Church for disturbing the health authority to fight against the pandemic.
With the rise of criticism against Jun Kwang-hoon and Sarang Cheil Church, the church official claimed that Jun hasn’t ever received an order of self-isolation, and a rally led by him was legal. And, the Church official unashamedly announced that it will file a lawsuit against Park Neung-hoo, the Minister of Health and Welfare, and Seo Jung-hyup, the acting mayor of Seoul for defaming Jun.
No one can deny Jun and Sarang Cheil Church are the culprits of the rise of Covid-19 in South Korea. They disturbed Seoul City and the health authority to take preventive measures on coronavirus by blocking church followers from taking coronavirus tests, organizing demonstrations, even with the risk of spreading Covid-19. Yet, more investigation is needed to find out whether Jun violated the self-isolation order from Seoul City, but he and church officials have to be punished.
