DIFFICULTY IN TRACING CHURCH MEMBERS

[Anchor Lead]

Sarang Jeil Church - at the heart of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the capital region, has provided a list of its members for contact tracing. But there are many flaws, such as outdated phone numbers and people unrelated to the church. Sarang Jeil Church says health authorities are asking for too much information too fast.

[Pkg]

​The wife of an informant in Seoul's Dobong-gu District received a text message last weekend telling her to get tested for COVID-19. But she has never even been near Sarang Jeil Church.

[Soundbite] MR. PARK(DOBONG-GU DISTRICT, SEOUL (VOICE MODIFIED)) : "(Your wife is not related to the church at all?) Absolutely not. I just assumed that the person who used the same number before must have been a member of that church."

A Buddhist was also included in the list provided by the church.

[Soundbite] "One lady said her family is Buddhist, but still came to get tested because she got a text message."

The Seongbuk-gu District Office was bombarded with about a thousand complaint calls.

[Soundbite] JU JEONG-MI (SEONGBUK COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER) : "Many are legitimate complaints, but some are actual churchgoers who just don't want to get tested."

The list provided by the church includes some outdated mobile phone numbers starting with the numbers 011, 016, or 017. The list is causing headaches as it not only hampers prompt testing and self-isolation measures but also squanders administrative efforts.

[Soundbite] LEE SEUNG-RO(SEONGBUK-GU DISTRICT HEAD) : "When we make calls, many people ask why they have to get tested. We have to convince them that nothing is more important than human life and safety."

Sarang Jeil Church claims the list has been condensed, but says the government is asking for too much information. The church argued that the government is targeting it and protesters and forcing them to get tested indiscriminately. The church's pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, who tested positive for COVID-19 two days ago, was spotted smiling while on the phone without wearing a mask as he got in an ambulance. Employees in charge of transporting patients were rushed to work during the holiday, wearing full protective gear.

[Soundbite] (SEONGBUK COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER TRANSPORT EMPLOYEE) : "I do my job thinking it's my duty. I wish he had been more remorseful, but I mostly felt sorry for him."

The church has not answered questions asking its stance on the recent nationwide spread and on some of its members escaping isolation facilities.