Editing Shincheonji Church of Jesus (section)

==Association with the coronavirus outbreak==

{{main|COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea#18 February – 29 February}}

[[File:2020 coronavirus cases in South Korea.svg|350px|thumb|Cases of the Shincheonji [[Disease cluster|cluster]]]]
Shincheonji became involved in controversy during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], an [[COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea#18 February – 29 February|outbreak]] of [[Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2|SARS-CoV-2]] infections followed from the participation of a SARS-CoV-2 infected person, "Patient 31," at the organization.<ref name="ThomReut_SKorea_zombie">{{cite news | last1= Shin | first1= Hyonhee | last2= Cha | first2= Sangmi | title= 'Like a zombie apocalypse': Residents on edge as coronavirus cases surge in South Korea |trans-title = <!-- trans-title is the English translation --> | date= 2020-02-20 |agency=[[Thomson Reuters]] | url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-southkorea-cases/like-a-zombie-apocalypse-residents-on-edge-as-coronavirus-cases-surge-in-south-korea-idUSKBN20E04F |access-date=2020-02-20 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20200220113906/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-southkorea-cases/like-a-zombie-apocalypse-residents-on-edge-as-coronavirus-cases-surge-in-south-korea-idUSKBN20E04F |archive-date= 2020-02-20 |url-status=live <!-- live|dead|unfit|usurped --> |url-access = <!-- (subscription/registration/limited) default=free -->}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=Korean Center for Disease Control|url=https://www.cdc.go.kr/board/board.es?mid=a30402000000&bid=0030&act=view&list_no=366247&tag=&nPage=1 |title=The updates of COVID-19 (as of Feb.19) in Korea|type=press release|date=February 19, 2020}}</ref> A dozen Chinese members of the church from [[Wuhan]] were also connected to the [[Daegu]] Shincheonji outbreak.<ref>{{cite web|title=Followers of the doomsday church that is linked to South Korea's coronavirus outbreak were meeting in Wuhan until December|first=Rhea|last=Mahbubani|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/church-cult-south-korea-coronavirus-outbreak-meetings-wuhan-december-2020-2|date=February 26, 2020|newspaper=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/09/opinion/coronavirus-south-korea-church.html | title=Opinion &#124; Being Called a Cult is One Thing, Being Blamed for an Epidemic is Quite Another| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=9 March 2020| last1=Rashid| first1=Raphael}}</ref>

In [[Busan]], a 61-year-old Daegu resident is believed to have spread the virus and was diagnosed on February 18, 2020.<ref>{{cite news|title=South Korea Plans 'Maximum' Quarantine Steps in Coronavirus-Struck City|last1=Martin|first1=Timothy W.|first2=Dasl |last2=Yoon |date=February 25, 2020|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/south-korea-plans-maximum-quarantine-steps-in-coronavirus-struck-city-11582627008}}</ref> At the time, the South Korean government had neither introduced social distancing nor restricted travel from China (apart from travel from the Hubei province).<ref name="NIH">{{cite journal |last1=Yi |first1=Joseph |last2=Lee |first2=Wondong |date=17 July 2020 |title=Pandemic Nationalism in South Korea |journal=Society |volume=2020 |issue= 4|pages= 446–451|doi=10.1007/s12115-020-00509-z|pmid=32836554 |pmc=7367163 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

On February 18, 2020, Shincheonji issued a church-wide announcement of Patient 31's confirmation and closed down its churches and affiliated buildings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://enblog.shincheonji.kr/2020/03/0221-shincheonji-church-of-jesus-closed.html|title=0221 Shincheonji Church of Jesus Closed Down Its Churches and Affiliated Buildings from 18 February |website=Shincheonji Church of Jesus - English|date=4 March 2020 |publisher=Shincheonji Church of Jesus|access-date=1 September 2020}}</ref>

On February 20, 2020, Shincheonji's Daegu branch submitted a list of its members to the [[Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] to aid with contract-tracing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://enblog.shincheonji.kr/2020/03/0226-shincheonji-church-of-jesus.html|title=0226 Shincheonji Church of Jesus Provided a List of All Members to Public Health Authorities, Investigation Starts on February 26|website=Shincheonji Church of Jesus - English|date=4 March 2020 |publisher=Shincheonji Church of Jesus|access-date=1 September 2020}}</ref>

By February 20, 2020, 53 new cases were Shincheonji attendees or their families,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/fd5fec40-538b-11ea-90ad-25e377c0ee1f |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20230304/https://www.ft.com/content/fd5fec40-538b-11ea-90ad-25e377c0ee1f |archive-date=4 March 2023 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=South Korea reports first coronavirus death as cases surge|last=Song|first=Jung-a|date=20 February 2020|newspaper=Financial Times|access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref> reaching over 300 by February 23, over half of all cases in South Korea in February.<ref>{{cite news|title=Coronavirus Live Updates: Xi Acknowledges 'Shortcomings' in Fight Against Outbreak|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 23, 2020|url= https://nyti.ms/2VbjqGt}}</ref> The subsequent resurgences of the virus in September 2020 and December 2020 surpassed the numbers seen during the outbreak associated with Shincheonji and accelerated at a faster rate than the spread associated with Shincheonji's Daegu branch church.<ref>{{cite news|title=① Faster than Shincheonji ② Young people ③ Small groups… Coronavirus 'Triangle Wave'|newspaper=[[The Chosun Ilbo]]|date=December 11, 2020|url= https://www.chosun.com/national/welfare-medical/2020/12/11/WZ26BIL6E5E5TGDCA7PMBKKFRM}}</ref>

===Privacy concerns===
On February 24, 2020, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency requested a list of all Shincheonji congregants. The list included congregants’ name, citizen registration number, address, name of place of employment, and family member information. A day after, Shincheonji submitted the list of all congregants and complied with the government's request. 
<ref name="Contention">{{cite news|url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20201021173200061|title=Shincheonji requested to include members' citizen registration numbers in list of congregants… Contention over whether or not this is part of epidemiological investigation |first=Young Hoon|last=Kang|date=21 October 2020|work=[[Yonhap News Agency]]}}</ref>

There was no deadline listed in the official information request letter sent to Shincheonji for epidemiological investigation. The official request also did not ask for members’ citizen registration numbers. Despite this, officials from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency requested members’ citizen registration numbers to be included in the data.<ref name="Sarang">{{cite news|url=https://mnews.sarangbang.com/detail/article/2455967|title="There was no request to submit Shincheonji citizen registration numbers…" |first=Jong-Dae|last=Park|date=21 October 2020|work=Sarang Bang News}}</ref>

There was a day's delay in submitting information, however, as Shincheonji officials asked the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency about the legality of providing congregants’ citizen registration numbers and if the government will protect the congregants’ private information.<ref name="Sarang" />

On February 25, 2020, Shincheonji officials provided the list of requested information for all of its congregants.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/korean/news-51624633 |title=COVID-19: 60 New Cases Reported, Total Confirmed Cases Rise to 893, Shincheonji to Provide Full List |access-date=13 June 2024 |date=25 February 2020 |work=BBC News Korea }}</ref>

In the October 2020 trial of Chairman Lee Man-Hee, where he is accused of not complying with epidemiological investigations, an official from the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare acknowledged that Shincheonji officials made effort to provide the requested congregants’ information. The conversation records between Shincheonji officials and the Agency official show an expression of concern over privacy, not a refusal to provide information or a refusal to cooperate.<ref name="Sarang" />

Chairman Lee's counsel argued that the request for congregants’ citizen registration numbers had nothing to do with epidemiological investigation.<ref name="Contention" />

In the initial discussion between representatives of Shincheonji and the [[Blue House]], the Blue House official in charge of the case was made aware of Shincheonji's concerns for congregants’ safety and privacy, and the omission of information from certain congregants, such as minors and those at special risk for persecution, such as elected politicians or public officials.<ref name="NoCutNov">{{cite news|url=https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/5440611|title=Blue House Official "Difficulties if congregation list is exposed...How will the list be revealed?" |first=Young-Min|last=Joo|date=3 November 2020|work=[[No Cut News]]}}</ref>

The police have determined that the intention for omitting certain congregants’ information was not for the purpose of obstructing disease prevention and control efforts, but to protect congregants of Shincheonji.<ref name="NoCutNov" />

In a recorded phone conversation, Chairman Lee told the Shincheonji representative in charge of communicating with the government to provide congregant information that "since the government is doing what Shincheonji should’ve done instead, we must actively help [the government]."<ref name="NoCutNov" />

[[Alex Azar]], [[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services]], described South Korea's approach to COVID-19 as something that "would likely not fly here in the United States" and referred to the South Korean government's authoritarian crackdown on Shincheonji as he described how South Korea "used their military and police powers to lock down that church, arrest everybody that was in contact with individuals in that church."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2010/23/cnr.04.html|title='Interview with HHS Secretary Alex Azar'|date=23 October 2020|website=CNN|publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

===Legal battle===
{{update section|date=September 2025}}
With an additional 4,000 cases of COVID-19 within two weeks, and roughly 60% of the total infections nationwide having stemmed from the church,<ref name="a34lya">{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.go.kr/board/board.es?mid=a30402000000&bid=0030&act=view&list_no=366633&tag=&nPage=6 |title=The updates on COVID-19 in Korea as of 24 March |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=24 March 2020 |website=Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=24 April 2020 |quote=Shincheonji (4,383) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422143503/https://www.cdc.go.kr/board/board.es?mid=a30402000000&bid=0030&act=view&list_no=366633&tag=&nPage=1 |archive-date=22 April 2020}}</ref> the Seoul city government asked prosecutors to press charges against the religious group's founder and senior members for murder, causing harm, and for violating the Infectious Disease and Control Act.<ref name=AFPSeoul/> Interviews have occurred with all 230,000 members of the religious group and nearly 9,000 were said to be showing symptoms of the virus.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51695649 |title= Coronavirus: South Korea sect leader to face probe over deaths |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= 2 March 2020 |website= [[BBC]] |publisher= |access-date= 4 March 2020 |quote= }}</ref>

After a lawsuit was started by the [[Mayor of Seoul]], on February 25, 2020, the [[Governor of Gyeonggi Province]] [[Lee Jae-myung]], along with 40 officials, entered the Shincheonji headquarters office and seized about 50 computers after making a forcible entry into the headquarters.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200225000730|title=Gyeonggi authorities seize PCs from Shincheonji to obtain list of members|last=Park|first=Han-na|date=25 February 2020|newspaper=[[The Korea Herald]]|access-date=2020-09-01}}</ref> The authorities checked the list seized during the raid with the one Shincheonji had supplied, and concluded that discrepancies were minor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kim |first=So-hyun |date=March 17, 2020 |title='Shincheonji didn't lie about membership figures'|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200317000667 |work=[[The Korea Herald]]|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref> The Seoul City government filed legal complaints to state prosecutors against 12 leaders of the church, accusing the group of homicide, causing harm, and violating the Infectious Disease and Control Act.<ref name=BBClegal>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51695649|title=Coronavirus: South Korea sect leader to face probe over deaths|date=March 2, 2020|publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-south-korea-lost-control-of-its-coronavirus-outbreak |title= How South Korea Lost Control of Its Coronavirus Outbreak |last= Kim |first= Suki |date= 4 March 2020 |magazine= [[The New Yorker]] |publisher= |access-date= 5 March 2020 |quote= In a speech, Moon blamed the outbreak in South Korea on members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a religious group widely considered to be a cult, whose adherents make up more than half of those infected with covid-19.}}</ref>

After the outbreak amongst Shincheonji's Daegu branch church in February, 51 Shincheonji-related locations in Daegu were closed. Out of this, 14 locations have been shut down since February of this year<!-- "this year" should give an actual year -->. Shincheonji has only held online services since February. However, its buildings continue to remain closed and Shincheonji has requested for the courts to reconsider the order for building closure. Shincheonji is requesting access to the buildings for the sake of building maintenance, not for usage of religious meetings or activities. The City of Daegu, however, has rejected the request, stating that building maintenance is currently not needed and that the public opinion against Shincheonji's Daegu Church still has not recovered. The courts have not yet ruled against or for the request. The situation could also be resolved upon an agreement between Shincheonji Daegu Church and the City of Daegu.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chosun.com/national/regional/2020/11/03/6IEUM3OK3FGHNK2RX6H6I7R6JM/|title=Shincheonji Daegu Branch Locations Shut Down for Eight Months|date=3 November 2020|newspaper=[[The Chosun Ilbo]]}}</ref>

===Criminal charges against group's leader===
On July 31, 2020, Lee Man-Hee was arrested by South Korean authorities for allegedly hiding crucial information from [[Contact tracing|contact-tracers]] and other offenses; by this time the Shincheonji Church was being linked to more than 5,200 coronavirus infections, or 36% of South Korea's total cases.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=South Korea sect leader arrested over coronavirus outbreak |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-southkorea-church/south-korea-sect-leader-arrested-over-coronavirus-outbreak-idUSKCN24W37V |work=Reuters |location=Seoul |date=July 31, 2020 |access-date=August 1, 2020 }}</ref> Prosecutors specifically alleged that Lee had failed to provide health authorities with a complete lists of church members in violation of South Korea's Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.<ref name="ReutersAcquit">{{cite news |first=Hyonhee |last=Shin |date=January 13, 2021 |title=South Korea church leader acquitted on charge of blocking virus effort: Yonhap |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-southkorea-church/south-korea-church-leader-acquitted-on-charge-of-blocking-virus-effort-yonhap-idUSKBN29I0RD |quote=Lee Man-hee, a self-proclaimed messiah who founded and heads the Shincheonji Church of Jesus}}</ref> The Vice Minister of the [[Ministry of Health and Welfare (South Korea)]] publicly stated that Shincheonji has cooperated with authorities.<ref name="USCIRF">{{cite web |url=https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2020%20Factsheet%20Covid-19%20and%20FoRB.pdf |title=The Global Response to the Coronavirus: Impact on Religious Practice and Religious Freedom |last=U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom |date=March 2020|access-date=19 March 2020}}</ref>

Lee was initially [[Pretrial detention|detained pending trial]], and several previous appeals for bail were initially rejected.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20201112105151061?input=1195m|title=Is Shincheonji the Scapegoat Sacrificed in South Korea's Witch-Hunt?|date=29 September 2020|newspaper=Dae Han News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.donga.com/news/Society/article/all/20200928/103174279/1|title='Will I be alive for the trial…' Wheel-chaired Lee Man Hee Appeals for Bail|date=28 September 2020|newspaper=[[The Dong-a Ilbo]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.kyeonggi.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2320236|title=Opinion: Bail Permission for Lee Man-hee, Chairman of Shincheonji, should be made according to rational judgment|date=30 September 2020|newspaper=[[:kr:경기일보]]}}</ref> However, on November 12, 2020, the court granted bail to Lee, with the court noting Lee's consistent attendance and compliance during court proceedings, as well as the health concerns of detaining a 90-year-old senior in prison.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dhns.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=250022|title=Court, Permits Shincheonji's Lee Man Hee Bail Request...|date=12 November 2020|newspaper=[[Yonhap News Agency]]}}</ref>

Prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence and a fine of {{KRWConvert|3|m|year=2021|r=0}} on the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act charges.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1006114634|title=Prosecutors sentence Shincheonji Lee Man-hee to five years in prison...|date=9 December 2020|newspaper=[[Seoul Broadcasting System]]}}</ref><ref name=ReutersAcquit/> In January 2021, the [[Suwon]] District Court acquitted Lee of the COVID-19-related charges, ruling that lists of church members were not "key elements of epidemiological surveys" defined in the Act.<ref name=ReutersAcquit/> However, the court, found Lee guilty of [[Embezzlement|embezzling]] {{KRWConvert|5.6|b|year=2021}} from the church to build a home, and of using government facilities to conduct religious services, and issued a four-year suspended sentence to Lee.<ref name=ReutersAcquit/>

The Supreme Court of Korea in 2022 affirmed the lower court's decisions: acquittal on COVID-19 charges and conviction for embezzlement.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 14, 2022 |last1=Seo |first1=Ji-eun |last2=Lim |first2=Jeong-won |title=Shincheonji leader acquitted of disease control act violations |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/08/14/national/socialAffairs/Korea-Shincheonji-Lee-Manhee/20220814172634070.html |access-date=2023-08-07 |work=[[Korea Joongang Daily]] |language=en}}</ref>

===Shincheonji response===

In a press conference in early March 2020, the church's founder Lee Man-Hee publicly kneeled and bowed his head to the ground in a traditional Korean gesture of apology, apologized for church members unintentionally spreading the virus, and said that the church was cooperating with the government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-02/kneeling-korea-s-sect-leader-seeks-forgiveness-for-virus-spike|publisher=Bloomberg|first=Jihye|last=Lee|date=March 2, 2020|title=Kneeling, Korea's Sect Leader Seeks Forgiveness for Virus Spike}}</ref>

In response to the negative media attention on Shincheonji, Lee Man-hee spoke publicly about being misunderstood or falsely accused.<ref name="PRI-2017-07-11"/> Shincheonji has been cited as the "most vilified group during pandemic."<ref name="NIH"/>

On August 26, 2020, the [[Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (KCDC) thanked Shincheonji for 562 of its congregation members donating plasma for COVID-19 treatment research, and requested collaboration with Shincheonji to hold a large-scale plasma donation drive from August 26, 2020, to September 4, 2020. An additional 1,100 Shincheonji members are estimated to donate plasma in collaboration with the KCDC.<ref name="Maeil">{{Cite news|url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/society/view/2020/08/893615/|title=Quarantine authorities "Thank Shincheonji for donating plasma"|date=August 31, 2020|work=[[Maeil Business Newspaper]]}}</ref>

On September 16, 2020, Shincheonji held an interfaith online prayer meeting titled "COVID-19 Overcome Online Prayer Meeting" to pray for the speedy end of COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/shincheonji-church-gathers-faith-community-073210063.html|title=Shincheonji Church Gathers the Faith Community to Bring Hope Through Prayer|date=18 September 2020|newspaper=[[Yahoo! News]]|access-date=30 September 2020|archive-date=2 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002115540/https://www.yahoo.com/news/shincheonji-church-gathers-faith-community-073210063.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On September 26, 2020, Shincheonji's volunteer association began a ‘prevention volunteering’ campaign, with Shincheonji members volunteering to sanitize shopping districts and passing out hand sanitizers and masks to local businesses.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ksilbo.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=774269|title=Shincheonji Volunteer Association in Ul-San Region, Volunteer in Coronavirus Prevention Efforts As Fall Thanksgiving Holiday Nears|date=27 September 2020|newspaper=[[:kr:경상일보]]}}</ref>

On November 3, 2020, the KCDC announced that starting from the 16th of November, there will be approximately 4,000 additional recovered COVID-19 patients from Shincheonji who will donate their plasma for the development of a treatment.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.imaeil.com/Society/2020110317384945315|title=4,000 Additional Shincheonji Congregants to Donate Plasma... The KCDC expresses deep thanks|date=3 November 2020|newspaper=[[:kr:매일신문]]}}</ref>

Over the course of 2 rounds of large-scale plasma donation drives with Shincheonji, a total of 2,798 members agreed to participate in the drive, and 2,030 successfully donated plasma. From the Daegu Church of Shincheonji, 1,700 congregation members donated plasma over the course of July and August of this year<!-- NOTE: "this year" should give an actual year. -->. The Director of the KCDC expressed his deep gratitude towards Shincheonji for actively participating in the plasma drive.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?ncd=5039972|title=4,000 from Shincheonji to Donate Plasma for Treatment Development|date=3 November 2020|newspaper=[[Korean Broadcasting System]]}}</ref>