Coronavirus: South Korea sect leader to face homicide charges over deaths

[Zorro]

Source: BBC

The city government of the capital Seoul has asked prosecutors to charge Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church, and 11 others.

They are accused of hiding the names of some members as officials tried to track patients before the virus spread.

South Korea is battling the worst coronavirus outbreak outside China.

The country has reported 3,730 cases and 21 deaths so far. More than half of all infections involve members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a fringe Christian group.

Authorities say Shincheonji members infected one another in the southern city of Daegu last month, before fanning out around the country.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51695649

[dewsgirl]

1. I can't remember where I saw it, but before they starting getting

infected, they were telling the church members it wasn't real or anything they should be worried about.

[EarthFirst]

9. Like a hoax?

Just saying...

[dewsgirl]

10. Indeed.

[Princess Turandot]

2. They've been giving the authorities a bit of a runaround...

This sounds like V.2 of the Moon personality cult.

If you're trying to establish contact tracing, having your subjects be told not to admit that they're part of this group is really helpful (not)!

From CNN:

...
After identifying and announcing the Shincheonji link on February 18, South Korean authorities raced to contain the spread of the virus, tracking down thousands of attendees to trace their contacts and symptoms. It took a week before the group gave a list of member's names to authorities.

About 600 Daegu police officers were deployed to knock on doors, track phones, and scour security camera footage to find them, as members often don't answer phone calls from nonmembers.
...
Kim [a spokesperson for them] also admitted members had been encouraged to deny being part of the group — not to conceal any vital information or to hamper the coronavirus investigation, but because "Shincheonji is perceived as a cult, and because of this many members are discriminated against."

According to this article, they have 1,000 members in the LA area, as well as at some other US locations. Between mid-January and mid-February, the group had an annual meeting which likely had international members attend. It's also thought that people traveled to SK for the funeral of the founder's brother, who died at the hospital which is now a hot spot.

How novel coronavirus spread through the Shincheonji religious group in South Korea

[NurseJackie]

6. I've had just about all I can stand of personality cults. They're dangerous things...

... and the one we have here in the US is also dangerous.

[soryang]

3. Shincheonji members were told "no worries" believers are protected by God

a tape recording of a sermon said, "none of our wuhan members were infected" at a time when there had already been 700 deaths in China. This was offered as evidence of their invulnerability.

I see the article says 230,000 members. Actually, the number of persons affiliated with the church is more like 310,000, according to Korean media sources. 240 thousand members, and an additional 70,000 applicants for membership who regularly attended Shincheonji Bible study programs. The organization has concealed the lists of these people until recently hampering the government ability to track down the spread of the disease. The organization is also alleged to have concealed the locations of some facilities and providing incomplete lists of members.

[littlemissmartypants]

4. I read somewhere that they are a doomsday cult and were intentionally spreading

the virus. I wish I could remember where I read that. If it is true, I doesn’t surprise me.

[roamer65]

5. If they were spreading it intentionally they should all be found guilty of murder.

[Coventina]

7. Why would they charge him with murder? DUers keep telling me this is just a cold.

No bigee!!

[Paladin]

8. Now, if it had happened in NORTH Korea....

….trump would be handing out Medals Of Freedom.