The central and regional governments should bear the responsibility for the spread of the virus first
“Citizens of Korea should sue the government and Daegu City instead”
“Avoiding responsibility to prevent the spread, unfair treatment to the group”
Shincheonji contracted COVID-19 while the government urged to carry on with daily activities
Daegu City had strived to host Chinese tourism the most
Chinese nationals roamed in Daegu before the outbreak in Shincheonji
Citizens had complained that Chinese nationals who did not wear masks
No Fault to Daegu City – Shincheonji is to Blame?
(한국어 기사) (원문보기)☞ [전문가진단] 대구시, 신천지에 1000억대 소송… “코로나, 국가와 대구시 책임인데 무슨”
[Cheonji Daily = Reporter Robert Kim, Myung SungIl] The City of Daegu filed a 100-billion-won civil suit against Shincheonji Church of Jesus (Shincheonji), of which many of its members were tested positive to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Many are criticizing that the city of Daegu is trying to dodge the responsibility of its failure in disinfecting the city, while putting the blame on a particular religious organization with the 100-billion-won civil suit against it as a distraction.
At the time of the massive infection in Shincheonji, the president said to “continue your daily life”. The City of Daegu, which filed the lawsuit, is a regional government that strived the most to host Chinese tourism. With the flight path open from China to Daegu, Chinese nationals who wanted low-cost tourism were actively visiting. Even when COVID-19 was running rampant in China in January and February, Daegu citizens were nervous of COVID-19 infection due to Chinese tourists walking around mid-Daegu without a mask. For this reason, Daegu City -- that should be responsible for “preventing infectious diseases”-- is receiving criticism for putting responsibility for the failure to prevent the disease onto Shincheonji, a victim of COVID-19, by filing a lawsuit.
From a briefing by the city’s special political advisor JeongHae-yong, Daegu City announced on the 22nd that it will file a civil lawsuit against Shincheonji and Chairman Lee Man-hee of Shincheonji. The special political advisor said, “The city filed a claim to the Daegu District Court on the 18th against Shincheonji and Chairman Lee who provided an important cause for the mass infection of COVID-19 and the spread and diffusion in the regional community for damages.”
“The amount of the lawsuit was 100 billion won, which is a portion of about 146 billion won of the calculated damage,” and, “we will increase the amount that will be proven through details regarding the lawsuit in the future.”
He said, “Even when the country was on alert due to the spread of COVID-19, careless acts occurred. In particular, the Daegu Church of Shincheonji was ordered to close down but during the closure the congregants were urged to street evangelize, which aggravated the spread of the infection.”
Special political advisor Jung Hae-yong added,“Considering that it took about four years for the Sewol Ferry disaster to be sentenced to the first trial for the lawsuit to claim the right to indemnity, I think this lawsuit will also be an excessive legal dispute.” He expressed, “We will closely consult with the litigation representatives to make sure that this lawsuit is carried out.”
◆Daegu City, Avoided Responsibility in the Past
Regarding this, some point out that the city of Daegu is trying to put the blame on Shincheonji for the failure to prevent and control the infectious disease again. During the April 13th regular briefing, two days before the April 15th general election, Daegu City threatened to claim the right to indemnity from Shincheonji by claiming, “According to the city's administrative investigation, the 31st confirmed patient who is a congregant of Shincheonji made a false statement.”
At the time, the city of Daegu said, “Initially, the patient stated that she only visited on February 9th and 14th,” and added, ”After confirming the fact, she also visited on February 5th and on February 16th she went to various locations on different floors (of the church building).”
However, Shincheonji explained, “After confirming with the 31st confirmed patient, when she was tested positive on February 18th, the epidemiological investigator requested for her places she visited from February 6th and (the 31st confirmed patient) made a statement on her movements.” It was clarified that “the statement was not false.” Originally, February 5th was not included in what the investigators requested.
In fact, this can be confirmed through the references released on the website of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Daegu City gave an official briefing without confirming with the 31st confirmed patient. Some point out that Daegu City tried to avoid responsibility by blaming Shincheonji for the failure of preventing and controlling the infectious disease before the general elections.
◆Daegu City Did Not Know the Spread of the Disease until the 31st Confirmed Case
Critics say the lawsuit is excessive given that the congregant of Shincheonji, the 31st confirmed case, is not the first infected patient.
Daegu City said in a briefing on the lawsuit, “Given the aspect of COVID-19 that occurred in the Daegu area, after the occurrence of the first patient on February 18th, the 31st confirmed patient attended service and worship as a Shincheonji member during an epidemiological investigation.”
However, an epidemiological investigation by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters authorities found that six people had already reported symptoms of COVID-19 in Daegu before the 31st confirmed patient. Kwon Joon-wook, deputy director of Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCHQ), said in a March 22nd briefing, “There were definitely cases of outbreak or symptoms that occurred before the 31st confirmed patient.”
Jung Eun-Kyeong, the director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also said in a briefing on the 23rd of the same month, “We conducted a full-scale survey of pneumonia patients and confirmed that about six patients with symptoms were positive at the time,” adding, “We found that six patients with symptoms appeared before the 31st patient and two from the six have no relations to Shincheonji.”
Ultimately, the 31st confirmed patient was not the first to be infected, but is a secondary infected person, meaning she had been infected by someone else.
The city of Daegu had no idea that COVID-19 was already spreading in the city until the 31st confirmed patient appeared. Critics say that Daegu City is not holding responsibility for the failure of the system to prevent and control the disease, instead they are finding the biggest victim of COVID-19, a specific religious group, responsible.
◆“The Government is Responsible for the Outbreak in Shincheonji”
Many Daegu civic groups have already claimed that the country is responsible for the failure of preventing and controlling the disease in Daegu.
Daegu’s Citizens’ Coalition for Safety said on April 13th, “The government did not accept the preventive measures,including foreign entry control, recommended by the Korean Medical Association in the early stages of the outbreak of COVID-19,” and claimed, “the absence of a national emergency system caused national pain and an astronomical economic loss, but the government still hasn’t properly established measures to prevent the spread of secondary infections.”
Furthermore, they added, “The unconvincing measures, such as encouraging social gatherings, resulted in the mass outbreak in Shincheonji which became a catalyst for the great epidemic,” and, “this resulted in many deaths and confirmed victims. In the near future we want to openly recruit victims and pursue a class-action lawsuit against the state.”
According to their claim, the state is responsible for the mass infection of Daegu City and the mass infection of Shincheonji.
In fact, the government has not implemented full-scale blockages to prevent patients from entering the country despite the medical association’s repeated recommendations. Even six days before the occurrence of the 31st confirmed patient, on February 12th, President Moon Jae-In visited the Seoul Namdaemun Market and recommended routine economic activities. At the time, President Moon said, “The most important thing is not the government’s support, but rather the fundamental measures to help people put aside excessive anxiety and boost economic and consumer activities.”
President Moon also said, “People will be safe if they follow the rules and guidelines instructed by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. It is being confirmed that there is no need to be overly anxious. No one has been infected by just walking past another person.”
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- [인터뷰] 코로나로 지인 잃은 프랑스 선교사 “신천지 혈장기부, 인류 위한 일”