Some South Korea Churchgoers Got into Fights with Cops & Asked, ‘Is This North Korea?’

It’s a tough time for everyone given the COVID-19 outbreak all over the world.

A big reason for this is probably because we have become so used to the status quo.

For instance, just a few months ago we were able to travel anywhere we wished without worrying about serving stay-home notices or being infected by a highly contagious virus.

Now, measures have also been put into place to restrict gatherings and the movement of people all over the world.

Needless to say, not everyone is going to be happy about it.

Some South Korea Churchgoers Got into Fights with Cops & Asked, ‘Is This North Korea?’

In South Korea, members of a South Korean church had a scuffle with police on Sunday after government restrictions on religious services and other gatherings were implemented to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

Authorities have also strongly encouraged South Koreans to stay home and practice social distancing.

This came after the imported cases and outbreaks surrounding small clusters continue to come about.

That said, the overall total of new infections seems to be on the decline.

Restrictions On High-Risk Events

There have been restrictions on high-risk events like religious sports and entertainment gatherings which came into play on Sunday.

This made it mandatory for facilities to make sure that there’s social distancing between those who are present.

The government will also be carrying out on-site checks and fines will be issued should these facilities not adhere to the rules.

President Moon Jae-in said on Sunday, “Our fight against the virus is a three-legged race. It doesn’t matter even if you are not sick and doing well by yourself,” referring to the need for the general public to comply and cooperate with the government’s measures.

Not All Church-goers Are Happy

These measures definitely go against everything that we’ve been so used to. Thus, it’s unsurprising that some are resistant to the change.

While most churches have gone online over the past couple of weeks, South Korean media reported that several had recklessly gone on with physical gatherings on Sunday despite the advisories.

A scuffle with the police and protests by residents asking for the gathering to be disbanded soon ensued.

For instance, according to CNA, at the Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul, multiple attendees had tried to force out a dozen police officers.

A video posted on YouTube by a member of the church showed a woman lying on the ground while another was shouting “Why are you doing this? Is this North Korea?”

Scuffle with police as Seoul's Sarang Jeil Church and its mainly elderly followers insist on holding worship services this morning despite orders not to. They are adamant that the right to worship is an inalienable right given to them by God.https://t.co/bnqse61glR pic.twitter.com/kqSq4c9GOB

— Raphael Rashid (@koryodynasty) March 22, 2020

A city official had clarified and said that the church had not followed the rules and failed to make sure that there was enough space between the churchgoers.

All that was happening while a group of residents protested in front of the Yonsei Central Baptist Church in Seoul and held up a sign asking to put a stop to the church services for the safety of members of the public.

Church Related Coronavirus Cases

This anger is probably warranted given that over half of South Korea’s cases have been linked to a fringe Christian church in Dengu.

Just this week, around 60 members of a Protestant Church located in Seongnam tested positive for the coronavirus.

The situation in Korea is certainly not rosy. In fact, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) confirmed 98 new cases of the virus.

In total, there are 8,897 confirmed cases of the virus in South Korea and 104 deaths as of 22 March.

On a brighter note, it is the 11th day in a row that the country has reported new cases amounting to around 100.

98 new cases may seem like a lot but it is a far cry from the 909 cases reported in a single day on 29 February.

KCDC deputy director Kwon Jun-wook said “We’re implementing intensive social distancing over the next 15 days. After that, we will open schools and return to a regular life cycle in the face of the battle on the coronavirus.”

Hang on everyone, together we will get through this.