The Seoul city government says it plans to take legal action against members of Sarang Jeil Church in the Seongbuk District for violating the city's administrative order not to hold mass gatherings to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
The city government plans to file complaints against two pastors and a lawyer who led a worship service last Sunday as well as those who attended.
The city said the church had been banned from hosting mass events after it was found to have violated precautionary measures for containing COVID-19 during its service on March 22.
The move comes as concerns are growing over mass infections in the capital area with more than 1,000 cases, mostly imported, and cluster transmissions, having been reported in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon.
Amid the defiant religious services, the city government has once again warned of "stern" legal action against any breach of the government's quarantine guidelines or orders.■
<Photo: Yonhap News>
