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Jun Kwang-hoon (Yonhap) via The Korea Herald
SEOUL – As soon as he recovered from COVID-19 on Wednesday, Jun Kwang-hoon, who heads the Seoul-based Presbyterian church that emerged as the second-largest group of viruses in the country, called the government’s anti-virus measures a ” fraud “designed to destroy your church.
The far-right pastor reiterated his claim that President Moon Jae-in and his administration are oppressing him for holding anti-government demonstrations, at a press conference held in front of his church. He was released from the Seoul Medical Center in the morning, where he was sent after testing positive for COVID-19 on August 17.
“The government has been trying to eliminate me and our church whenever it gets the chance. They tried to put all the blame on us with the new coronavirus, but they failed thanks to the wise judgment of the public, ”he said.
Since the first case was detected in the church on Aug. 12, a cluster has emerged in a large number of infections, standing at 1,117 as of Wednesday noon. Some 1,400 people related to the church have yet to undergo tests, according to health authorities.
Jun, along with many of his church members, participated in an anti-Moon protest held in Gwanghwamun Square on August 15 in violation of a self-isolation order. The rally is linked to 441 other positive cases of the coronavirus.
Proclaiming himself a prophet who leads Korean churches, Jun said he will risk his life to fight the president.
“I will wait and see for a month, but if President Moon continues to mislead people with national infidelity and false peaceful reunification, I will risk my life in a month. I am ready to be martyred. “
Jun and his church face criminal charges and lawsuits for damages that could cost them billions of won.
More than 140 merchants who run shops located near Sarang Jeil Church in Jangwi-dong, Seungbuk-gu, Seoul, plan to file a class action lawsuit against the church later this month for financial damages incurred when customers avoid visiting the area due to to the lack of cooperation of the church. response to virus control measures.
On Tuesday, the Seoul city government said it would exercise its right to compensation against the church for hindering the authorities’ efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 over the cost it spent to treat them. The state-run National Health Insurance Service, which estimated treatment costs for church-related patients at about 6.5 billion won ($ 5.48 million), also plans to take similar action.
On August 15, the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office petitioned the Seoul Central District Court to cancel the bond granted to Jun for violating the conditions of the bond.
Jun was accused in March of violating public electoral law by asking those attending a demonstration to support the conservative bloc in the general elections on April 15. He was released in April on the basis of a bail agreement that he would not participate in rallies or protests that could be considered illegal or related to the charges he faced.
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