Lee Jae-myung Issues Assembly Restrictions at All Religious Facilities in Gyeonggi Province

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] As COVID-19 spreads again through church small group gatherings and other religious meetings, Gyeonggi Province has issued an assembly restriction administrative order prohibiting various gatherings and events at all religious facilities, excluding regular worship services, masses, and Buddhist services. Assembly restriction orders have also been issued for PC bangs, teahouses, bathhouses, cram schools, and private educational institutes where the previous restriction orders had been lifted, contingent on compliance with quarantine guidelines.

Governor Lee Jae-myung held an emergency press conference at the Gyeonggi Province Government Office on August 14, stating, "From July 27 to August 13, 210 confirmed cases occurred in the province, of which 78 cases—37 percent—were traced to religious facilities, which is regrettable." He continued, "In particular, cluster infections are occurring due to repeated violations such as group meals after religious gatherings and choir practice without masks. Therefore, we are implementing a two-week religious facility assembly restriction administrative order from August 15 to 30."

The enforcement targets 15,778 religious facilities in the province, comprising 13,707 Christian facilities, 399 Catholic facilities, 1,481 Buddhist facilities, and 191 facilities of other religions including Won Buddhism, Confucianism, and Islam.
Accordingly, religious facilities in the province are prohibited from: ▲engaging in various in-person gatherings and events organized by religious facilities, excluding regular worship services, masses, and Buddhist services ▲refraining from singing hymns and raising one's voice to speak loudly during prayers or services during regular worship services, masses, and Buddhist services.
Regular worship services, masses, and Buddhist services may proceed normally if the following core quarantine measures are observed: ▲prohibition of food provision and group meals ▲installation and use of digital entry and exit logs ▲checking symptoms of visitors and restricting entry of symptomatic persons ▲designation of quarantine managers ▲wearing masks ▲disinfection of facilities before and after religious events and maintaining disinfection logs ▲maintaining a 2-meter distance between users in facilities.

Previously, the province issued an assembly restriction administrative order on July 17 for a two-week period targeting 137 churches that conducted gatherings in violation of infection prevention guidelines. Subsequently, administrative orders for two weeks were issued on March 29 to 20 churches, April 5 to 2 churches, and April 24 to 1 church for failing to follow quarantine rules. Later, on July 1, the province urged restraint in religious facility small group meetings as confirmed cases stemming from such gatherings were increasing.

Additionally, Governor Lee issued assembly restriction orders for PC bangs (7,297 establishments), teahouses (1,254 establishments), bathhouses (897 establishments), and cram schools and private educational institutes (33,091 establishments), contingent on strict compliance with quarantine guidelines. The province previously issued assembly restriction administrative orders for PC bangs from April 8 to May 5, for teahouses and bathhouses from April 10 to May 5, and for cram schools and private educational institutes from March 18 to April 6.

Failure to comply will result in stricter enforcement through comprehensive gathering bans. Additionally, fines of up to 3 million won will be imposed in accordance with Article 80, Clause 7 of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Act. Furthermore, if confirmed cases occur as a result of violating the assembly restriction order, quarantine costs including testing, investigation, and treatment may be subject to reimbursement claims.

Governor Lee stated, "This assembly restriction administrative order for religious facilities is an unavoidable measure to protect residents' lives and safety from infectious disease, not an infringement on religious freedom." He added, "We request the understanding and cooperation of the religious community in overcoming the COVID-19 crisis."

Meanwhile, the province is recommending compliance with quarantine guidelines until further notice for logistics facilities, call centers, funeral halls, and wedding halls (a total of 1,586 establishments), as well as entertainment establishments, emotional bars, noraebang clubs, small pojangmachas, and coin karaoke singing rooms (8,376 establishments). Additionally, the province has issued gathering prohibition administrative orders through August 17 for multi-level marketing, sponsored direct sales, and direct sales businesses (4,849 establishments).