Father An Bong-hwan
Catholic churches across the country are suspending masses for the next two weeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Father An Bong-hwan, a representative of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, told TBS' Kim OuJoon's News Factory on Wednesday that they are reviewing ways to temporarily stop services with the exact dates to differ among dioceses.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu decided to close its churches for the first time last Wednesday.
That move was followed by 14 out of 16 dioceses, including Andong, Gwangju and Suwon.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul, which controls the Myeongdong Cathedral, announced all masses will be suspended until March 10, marking a first in its 189-year history.
Father An said 95 percent of some 1,700 Catholic churches nationwide have stopped masses and are instead offering recorded services on TV, radio and through YouTube.■
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