Gwangju residents stand in line to get tested for COVID-19 on Jan. 27, 2021, after multiple outbreaks were confirmed at religious schools in the area. (Photo: Yonhap News)
[Anchor]
More than 320 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in connection to the International Mission, a religious organization based in Daejeon, south of Seoul.
Outbreaks have been reported at a handful of affiliated schools and training centers, most of them unlicensed.
As the country is still battling a third wave of the pandemic, the central and local governments are scrambling to stop further spread of the virus from IM's nationwide network.
Ron Chang reports.
[Reporter]
Concerns are rising that these coronavirus clusters from the missionary group's schools and facilities could spiral out of control.
The situation is very similar to the massive outbreak from the Shincheonji religious sect in Daegu that ravaged the country at the start of the pandemic early last year.
According to the KDCA, there are 23 missionary training schools affiliated with IM in 11 cities, including Seoul.
And it also has 17 institutes all across the country.
The government is urging all visitors to these facilities to immediately get tested for COVID-19.
Contact tracing is also being carried out to see who the 323 infected patients came into contact with before being diagnosed with the disease.
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