Coronavirus: South Korea’s big churches, once outbreak epicentres, reopen

South Korea managed to curb its outbreak – the first major one outside China – with massive testing and aggressive contact tracing

But there have been a series of small outbreaks involving churches and other large gatherings of people

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Catholics attend a public mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday. Photo: EPA

Published: 6:31pm, 26 Apr 2020Updated: 9:49pm, 26 Apr 2020

South Korea’s large churches reopened on Sunday, requiring worshippers to keep their distance and wear masks, after the government relaxed restrictions on religious gatherings aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

Onnuri Church, one of the biggest churches in Seoul, required members to sign up online ahead of the service and sit on designated seats to maintain distance.

It has also limited attendance to 700 in a hall with a capacity of 3,000 people, a church official said.

Last Sunday, South Korea extended its social distancing policy until May 5 but offered some relief for religious and sports facilities previously subject to strict restrictions.

Members of Yoido Full Gospel Church attend a public mass in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday Photo: EPA

A secretive church, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, was at the epicentre of South Korea’s coronavirus outbreak, with about half of the country’s total infections of 10,728 linked to its members.