COVID-19 and the Church

Background

Korean Protestantism has long regarded gathered worship and meetings—such as Sunday services, Wednesday services, early morning prayer meetings, and cell group worship—as central to the life of faith. In early 2020, COVID-19 (the disease caused by the novel coronavirus) spread within South Korea. This pattern of worship, in which large numbers of people gather for extended periods in enclosed indoor spaces, came into direct conflict with disease-control measures.

Course of Events

Early 2020: The Shincheonji Cluster and the Shift to Remote Worship

On February 18, 2020, a member of Shincheonji in Daegu was confirmed as the country's 31st case. Within days, Shincheonji-related cases accounted for more than half of all confirmed cases nationwide. Health authorities later stated, however, that some people had fallen ill before Patient 31, and they did not regard this patient as the original source of infection. As the virus spread and authorities asked that gatherings be suspended, most churches switched to online worship or family worship. On March 21, the prime minister asked religious facilities at high risk of cluster outbreaks to suspend operations for fifteen days.

August 2020: The Sarang Jeil Church Cluster and the Ban on In-Person Worship

On August 12, the first confirmed case linked to Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk District, Seoul, was reported. Infections then rose rapidly, and by August 31 the cumulative number of related cases had reached 1,056. The senior pastor, Jun Kwang-hoon, also tested positive on August 17. Police stated that the church had sent text messages urging members—even those under self-quarantine orders—to attend the August 15 rally at Gwanghwamun. The church, by contrast, claimed that it had sent messages telling members not to attend the rally.

That same month, the government banned in-person worship at religious facilities in the Seoul metropolitan area. Most churches, including megachurches, moved to remote worship, but some continued to hold in-person services. In Busan, the head of a regional Christian association objected to the ban on grounds of religious freedom. Around December 2020, the Seoul Metropolitan Government likewise issued an order permitting churches in Seoul to hold remote worship only.

Legal Disputes

Thirty-one Seoul churches belonging to the Free Citizens' Alliance for the Restoration of Worship (Yejayeon) filed suit against the Seoul Metropolitan Government, seeking revocation of the ban on in-person worship. In July 2021, the Seoul Administrative Court granted their request to suspend the order's effect pending a ruling (a stay of execution), allowing in-person worship with fewer than twenty people. The first-instance ruling, issued the following year, also sided with the churches, holding that a total ban on worship violated the principles of proportionality and equality. The principle of proportionality holds that any restriction of fundamental rights must not exceed what is necessary to achieve its purpose. In November 2024, however, the Seoul High Court reversed the first-instance ruling, reasoning that in-person worship is a freedom that may be restricted when necessary and that the public interest in the life and safety of the entire population outweighed it. The Gwangju District Court and the Busan District Court dismissed or rejected similar suits.

Outcomes and Impact

• Online worship became widely established. A debate over online communion also arose concerning whether the Lord's Supper could be shared across a screen.
• As in-person gatherings declined, greater emphasis was placed on the role of small groups in sustaining church community. The Ministry Data Institute concluded that in an era of remote ministry, a church's communal life depends on small-group activity.

Assessment

Opinions were divided even within the church. Those who opposed the restrictions on in-person worship, such as Yejayeon, viewed them as an excessive infringement of religious freedom. Churches that cooperated with disease-control measures regarded putting life and safety first as the church's responsibility. Court rulings likewise differed from one level of the judiciary to another. In denominational media and theological circles, writers described this period as an occasion for the Korean church to reflect on its worship, life of faith, and mission.