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SINGAPORE – Nine men, ages 22 to 31, and 12 women, ages 21 to 49, were arrested by police officers on Monday (November 9) for allegedly being members of an illegal Korean church, the Ministry of the Interior ( MHA) said Wednesday.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the members had allegedly resumed activities related to the unregistered local chapter of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of Testimony (SCJ).
Another group of nine women, between 22 and 52 years old, and two men, between 23 and 36 years old, are assisting police in the ongoing investigations.
Founded by South Korean Lee Man-Hee in 1984, SCJ has been accused of being a cult in several countries because of its unorthodox teachings, the MHA said.
“Based on testimonies from former members, Lee has claimed to be the second coming of Christ, who would bring 144,000 people to heaven with him on Judgment Day. He has also claimed to be the only person who can interpret the Bible, and SCJ supposedly considers all other churches and pastors to belong to Satan, ”added the MHA.
SCJ also teaches its members that it is acceptable to use deception and has been accused of infiltrating and disrupting established Korean churches.
In February, the MHA investigated the activities of the local SCJ chapter for using deceptive recruitment methods to exert a controlling influence on Christian youth and young adults in Singapore and to conceal their existence from family members.
Following the investigations, five South Koreans who held key positions in the local chapter were repatriated in the same month and the group’s front entities disbanded.
“The members of the local chapter were warned to stop participating in SCJ activities or they would face new measures from the authorities. Despite the actions taken, SCJ’s local chapter has covertly resumed its activities, under the leadership of its parent South Korean chapter, ”said the MHA.
Anyone convicted of being a member of an illegal society can be jailed for up to three years or a fine of up to $ 5,000, or both.
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