Ganghwa County Provides Quarantine Expenses to Religious Organizations Actively Complying with Disease Prevention Measures

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Shin Eun-seop] Ganghwa County announced on the 12th that it will provide 1 million won in quarantine expenses, fully covered by county budget, to religious organizations that have actively complied with disease prevention measures including bans on in-person gatherings in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

The county provided a maximum of 1 million won per facility to religious organizations in September of last year when COVID-19 showed a second wave of spread, and additionally provided 1 million won in quarantine expenses again in December.

The eligibility criteria for quarantine expense support include Protestant churches, Catholic churches, Buddhist temples, and other religious organizations with registered addresses in the county. However, Shincheonji, Marine Corps-affiliated churches, and prayer halls are excluded.

Applications for support must be submitted by the 16th via fax or mail to the Culture and Tourism Division of the County Government Office, or may be submitted in person, along with an application form, a copy of the organization registration number certificate, and a copy of the bankbook. For further details, refer to the Ganghwa County website.

County Governor Yu Cheon-ho stated, "We are grateful to the religious community for actively participating in social distancing," and noted that "thanks to the active cooperation of religious organizations in quarantine measures, not a single confirmed case has occurred in religious facilities within the county."

He continued, "Religious organizations are facilities that require thorough quarantine activities even if social distancing is eased in the future," and requested, "We ask for continued exemplary quarantine activities from the religious community."