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Park Chan-kyong

South Korea reported 279 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, up from 166 the previous day, the biggest surge since March.
The spike in infections prompted President Moon Jae-in to warn of new clusters in coming days in the Seoul metropolitan area.
“The daily new Covid-19 cases suddenly spiked to 279, with infections centred on some churches,” he said in a Facebook message.
“We are in a very grave situation … This is a critical moment to determine the success or failure of our quarantine efforts”.

Moon was referring to South Korea’s initial outbreak earlier this year and the country’s aggressive attempts to get its outbreaks under control.
Moon berated churches for disregarding social distancing guidelines and accused them of refusing to cooperate with health authorities in tracing contacts.
A right-wing church pastor encouraged his followers to join thousands on August 15 liberation day on Tuesday, protesting against Moon’s policies and defying a ban on rallies in the capital.
South Korea hit with resurgence of church-linked infection clusters
“This is an outright challenge to the state’s quarantine system and unpardonable act that threatens the lives of the people,” Moon said.
He vowed to “crack down hard on illegal acts that undermine public safety and order”.


The new reported cases on Sunday raised the country’s total caseload to 15,318. Of the new cases, 267 were local transmissions. Most of the new infections were around the capital Seoul.
Infections were also reported in other major cities such as Busan and Daegu, which was the epicentre of the previous crisis in late February and March when hundreds of new cases were reported each day.
The capital posted a record 146 new cases, out of which 107 were linked to Sarang Jeil Church led by Reverend Jun Kwang-hoon, a controversial pastor and an outspoken government critic.
Damaged cash after South Koreans put money in ovens to rid it of coronavirus
Another Christian sect, Shincheonji Church of Jesus, was at the centre of the country’s largest outbreak of Covid-19 infections in February.
The secretive group was linked to 36 per cent of South Korea’s total cases, and on August 1, South Korean authorities arrested its founder, Lee Man-hee, for allegedly hiding crucial information from contact-tracers.


The Covid-19 resurgence in a region with 10 times more people than Daegu is a rude awakening for a country that has been eager to tout its hard-won gains against the virus.
“We feel as if we were standing on an embankment that is about to collapse under our feet”, said Kwon Jun-wook, deputy head of the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The death toll, however, remained unchanged at 305, with a 1.99 per cent fatality rate.
After resisting calls to strengthen social distancing for months over concerns about further hurting the economy, the government announced stronger measures for the Seoul area.
The two-week measures beginning Sunday advise high-risk facilities like nightclubs, karaoke bars, gyms and buffet restaurants to close or otherwise enforce distancing, temperature checks, keeping customer lists and mask wearing.
Fans are banned once again from professional baseball and soccer games, which had just begun to slowly bring back spectators in late July.
Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated Press



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President Moon Jae-in threatened strong action after a church pastor encouraged followers to attend an anti-government protest in Seoul. Photo: AFP

Public officials disinfect a church as a precaution against the coronavirus in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. South Korea reported over 100 new virus cases Friday, one of its biggest daily jumps in months, as officials express concerned that infections are getting out of control in cities as people increasingly venture out in public. (Han Jong-chan/Yonhap via AP)

Spike in damaged cash after South Koreans put money in ovens to rid it of coronavirus

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Coronavirus: South Korea hit with resurgence of church-linked infection clusters

Christians wearing face masks attend a service at a church in Seoul in May amid the pandemic. Photo: AP

A health official wearing protective gear takes samples from a woman during the COVID-19 testing at a makeshift clinic in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A banner about precautions against the coronavirus disease is displayed at a park in Goyang, South Korea, Friday, July 24, 2020. South Korea has been reporting roughly 20-60 cases every day since it eased rigid social distancing rules in early May. The banner reads: "Wash hands and wear face masks." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Worshippers attend a Sunday service while maintaining social distancing at a Protestant church in Gwangju, South Korea, last month. Photo: EPA

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epa08600539 A handout photo made available by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) shows containers with a new two-vector COVID-19 vaccine at Nikolai Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, Russia, 06 August 2020 (issued 13 August 2020). Russia registered the new called Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus Sars-Cov-2 and opens the stage of its massive testing. EPA-EFE/RDIF HANDOUT NO RESTRICTIONS, ALLOW TO USE IN SOCIAL NETWORK HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

A worker guides packaged bundles of copper anode sheets at the electrolysis shop at the Uralelectromed Copper Refinery, operated by Ural Mining and Metallurgical Co. (UMMC), in Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Russia, on Thursday, July 30, 2020. Gold surged to a fresh record Friday fueled by a weaker dollar and low interest rates. Silver headed for its best month since 1979. Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg

Christ the Redeemer reopens in Rio de Janeiro after months of coronavirus closures

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Fears grow about a massive outbreak in the greater capital region
Spike prompts authorities to reimpose tighter social distancing curbs



South Korea reports 279 new coronavirus cases as fears grow about a massive outbreak in the greater capital region.


Coronavirus pandemic: All stories

Coronavirus South Korea

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Moon Jae-in

South Korea in ‘grave situation’ after biggest coronavirus outbreak in five months

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Fears grow about a massive outbreak in the greater capital region Spike prompts authorities to reimpose tighter social distancing curbs

Fears grow about a massive outbreak in the greater capital region

Spike prompts authorities to reimpose tighter social distancing curbs