If you find the word “Shincheonji” familiar, it’s because you’ve been following up on Covid-19 cases in South Korea.
A 61-year-old South Korean lady singlehandedly landed the country in hot soup when she refused to test for Covid-19 despite showing symptoms.
The church she was going to is Shincheonji Church of Jesus and more than half of Covid-19 cases in South Korea are people from the church.
Turns Out, There’s A Shincheonji Chapter in S’pore Too
On 28 Feb 2020, it was reported that a local chapter of the infamous Shincheonji Church of Jesus exists in Singapore.
And it was unregistered too. In other words, it’s an illegal church lah. Churches in Singapore are supposed to register with the authorities.
However, unlike South Korea where it has over 1,000 churches and even more members worldwide, the local branch only has less than a hundred members.
The church members consist of both locals and foreigners.
And It Has Caught The Eye Of S’pore Authorities
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) believes that the religious group “misled and defrauded people into certain actions”.
One of the ways includes forbidding members from contacting each other, verifying with other churches and to hide its existence.
It was only in Feb 2019 when the local chapter tried to set up a company here that they were discovered.
Various other front companies of the church were discovered as well.
Church’s Activities Will Be Banned in S’pore
Seeing as the church as allegedly brought in young people under “false pretences”, set up front companies and attempt to hide its existence, MHA believes that the church has “crossed a line”.
Right now, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said, the local chapter isn’t a huge threat.
But it could be harmful if allowed to continue to exist.
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MHA clarified that people have the freedom to believe and practise any religion they want. But should it have the possibility of creating public security issues or crime, they will step in.
The ministry is currently investigating the church and more will be revealed later on.
Shincheonji Church of Jesus & Covid-19
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus has been linked directly to the severe Covid-19 outbreak in South Korea.
More than half of the cases in South Korea is attributed to the church, which was sometimes labelled a cult, due to its founder.
South Korean national Lee Man-hee fashioned himself as the second coming of Christ and said he’ll bring 144,000 people to heaven.
With that said, does this have to do with the local chapter being targetted by MHA?
Minister Shanmugam: Yes, Of Course
Think about it. Normally, an investigation can take years for individuals, not to mention huge companies.
If not for the fact that the Shincheonji Church South Korea is implicated with Covid-19, the investigations wouldn’t be “accelerated”.
And it was found that the local chapter of SCJ did not have any physical contact with their South Korean counterparts.
Five South Koreans are assisting in MHA’s investigations.
Four of them entered Singapore before the outbreak.
The last South Korean lady was checked and found to be healthy.
