SOME CHURCHES REFUSE TO FOLLOW GUIDELINES

[Anchor Lead]

Yesterday was the first Sunday after social distancing guidelines were raised to level 2, banning in-person church services in the Seoul metropolitan area, Busan, Gwangju, and Gyeongsangnam-do Province. Most of the churches followed the government rules, but some didn't, claiming their religious freedom had been violated.

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A large church in Guro-gu District in Seoul. Its entrance has been blocked and a large banner informs that services are provided online. Another church in Gangseo-gu District in Seoul. A few church members who failed to check the online service notice return home disappointed.

[Soundbite] "(Haven't you been notified?) No, I haven't. (What made you come here?) To worship."

A church in Gyeonggi-do Province set up a chapel in its parking lot for its members who insisted on coming to the church. Most of the churches in the capital regino, the new epicenter of the recent virus surge, have followed government measures.

[Soundbite] (CHURCH OFFICIAL(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "We have to follow the government's level 2 and 3 enforcement ordinances. Level 1 is just a recommendation. We'll be very strict in observing the rules."

But some churches went ahead with holding small in-person worships.

[Soundbite] (IN-PERSON WORSHIP CHURCH OFFICIAL(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "We asked for some grace period because we haven't made any internal decisions yet. But the government came out for inspection in the morning and in the afternoon."

Around 10 percent of churches in Busan and Incheon were found to have held Sunday service on site. They include some 370 churches, mostly small ones, out of roughly 4,000 in Incheon. In Busan, about 15% of 1,700 churches went ahead with in-person worships. The Busan Christian Council stirred up controversy as it sent a notice to its member churches to hold on-site services while observing disease control measures despite the city government's administrative order.

[Soundbite] LIM YOUNG-MOON(CHAIR, BUSAN CHRISTIAN COUNCIL) : "We strictly follow the government's measures. So why are the press and mass media conducting a witch hunt on the church as if we're spreading COVID-19?"

The city governments of Seoul, Busan and Incheon will determine whether to issue assembly ban orders and file complaints against the churches that insisted on holding in-person services.