Stranger Things

Call Center Infections Grow to 93 (Korea JoongAng Daily)

QuoteHealth officials still don't know how the virus penetrated the Sindorim call center. At least five Shincheonji adherents work there, but they've all tested negative, said officials. Seoul Mayor Park, however, didn't rule out the possibility that the Christian sect was the source of the infections, saying Wednesday that a list of Shincheonji adherents in Seoul, which his office received from the church, was not believed to be the full list, implying that the church omitted some worshippers on purpose.

Coronavirus Housing Cluster Highlights Secretive South Korea Sect (Raw Story)


How Two Korean Cults Measure Up Against Covid-19 (The Economist - Paywall)

Thousands of Sect Followers Released from Self-Quarantine (Chosun Ilbo)

God's People & Shincheonji (Sister Kim Ae-ran for The Korea Times)

Shincheonji Workers at Nursing Homes Tested; No New COVID-19 Cases Found So Far (The Korea Herald)

Jan. 9: France to Deport Ferry Owner's Daughter (Chosun Ilbo)

April 18: South Korea Sewol Ferry Protest Turns Violent (BBC)

April 29: Appeals Court Brands Sewol Captain a Murderer (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 8: Court Exonerates Ex-Ambassador for Helping Brother-in-Law Yoo Byung-eon (KBS World Radio)

May 27: Sunken Ferry Owner's Daughter Detained in France (The Korea Herald))


June 28: Sewol Carried More Than Double Permitted Amount of Cargo (The Korea Times)

June 29: What's the Real Reason the Sewol Left Port That Night? (Hankyoreh)


March 23: Heartbreaking Stories of Victims, Missing Passengers (The Korea Times)

March 23: Nine People Still Unaccounted For (The Korea Times)

April 19: US Court Orders Late Sewol Ferry Owner's Family to Pay Off Debt (The Korea Herald)

June 7: Sewol Owner's Daughter Denies Allegations (The Korea Times)

June 7: Daughter of Sewol Operator Returns Home (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 7: Yoo Som-na Denies Charges, 'Hopes For Fair Trial' (Korea JoongAng Daily)

Nov. 24: Daughter of De Facto Owner of Sewol Ferry Operator Gets Four Years for Embezzlement & Breach of Trust (The Korea Herald)


May 1: Dispatch Claims J.Y. Park Lied About His Affiliation to Religious Cult Members Who Faced Charges in the Sewol Ferry Tragedy (All K-Pop)

May 2: JYP Entertainment Shares Nosedive on Cult Religion Reports (The Korea Herald Investor)

Sept. 5: Security Command General Arrested for Alleged Surveillance of Civilians (The Korea Herald)


Jan. 17: Ex-Semo Chairman's Family Ordered to Pay 70% of State Expenses on Sewol Ferry Disaster (Yonhap News)

July 24: Fugitive Arrested in New York in Investigation Into 2014 S. Korean Ferry Sinking (Yonhap News)

Second Son of Sewol Ferry Owner Seized in NY (The Korea Times)

Central Figure in Sewol Sinking Scandal Arrested in the US (KBS World Radio)

Aug. 12: Sewol Owner's Guns Under Probe (The Korea Times)

Aug. 19: Police Believe Yoo Died From Hypothermia (The Korea Times)

Aug. 20: Police Fail to Establish Cause of Ferry Owner's Death (Chosun Ilbo)

Aug. 23: 40 Days Without Food, Father Rushed to Hospital (Korea JoongAng Daily)

Aug. 28: Ferry Owner's Eldest Son Goes on Trial (Chosun Ilbo)

Aug. 29: Ferry Owner's Family Get Jail Break to Attend Funeral (Chosun Ilbo)

Aug. 31: Thousands Gather at Late Ferry Owner's Funeral (The Korea Herald)

Oct. 8: Ferry Owner's Sidekick Deported to Korea (Chosun Ilbo)

Oct. 14: New York Real Estate of Ferry Owner's Son Impounded (Chosun Ilbo)

Nov. 5: South Korea Sewol Ferry Owner's Relatives Jailed for Corruption (BBC)

Nov. 11: Search for Ferry Victims Ends (The Korea Times)

Shincheonji Member Who Was Monitored for the Coronavirus Jumps to Her Death from 11th Floor Apartment, Police Investigating Her Case (All K-Pop)

Shincheonji Followers Kill Themselves Amid Public Criticism Intensifying (The Korea Times)

Shincheonji's Donation Made Without Prior Notice (The Korean Herald)

Daegu Mayor Denies Alleged Shincheonji Connection (The Korea Times)

Seoul Launches Tax Audit on Real Estate Owned by Shincheonji Religious Sect (Hanyoreh)

The Chilling Secret Behind How "Shincheonji Cult" Recruits Young Women to Join Their Church (Korea Boo)

Yoo Jae Suk Personally Responds to Rumors He's A Member of Shincheonji (All K-Pop)

More Than 90 Infections Linked to Seoul Call Center, Numbers Feared to Rise (Yonhap News)

QuoteThe health ministry, meanwhile, said that five of the 207 workers were found to be followers of Shincheonji, which is associated with more than 60 percent of South Korea's total infections.

All five have so far tested negative, but the government plans to look into the case for additional infections. The city government also said it will probe for any possible links to the religious sect.

South Korea: What We're Doing to Fight the Coronavirus (The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea)

Quote"Being Called a Cult Is One Thing, Being Blamed for an Epidemic Is Quite Another," by Raphael Rashid (Op-Ed, nytimes.com, March 9), which describes the Shincheonji Church of Jesus as being scapegoated in South Korea for political purposes, is misleading.

"Shincheonji Cult" Reportedly Makes Delusional Claims About Park Seo Joon And Park Bo Gum

QuoteFurthermore, the believers reportedly make remarks to each other such as "I'm going to rule over Spain", "I'm going to rule over France", and "I'm going to rule over Busan".

(K-Pop Hit)

July 7: Yoo's Son Denies Embezzlement (The Korea Times)

July 8: South Korea Ferry 'Sank Due to Negligence & Corruption' (BBC)

July 9: Fugitive Ferry Owner Carrying W2 Billion in Cash (Chosun Ilbo)

July 17: U.S. Probes Ferry Owner's Tax Records (Chosun Ilbo)

July 22: Fugitive Ferry Owner Found Dead (The Korea Times)

July 22: Yoo's Death Shifts Focus of Investigation to His Family (The Korea Times)

July 23: S Korea Ferry Boss Yoo Byung-eun 'Hid in Secret Closet' (BBC)

July 23: Massive Manhunt Proves Waste of Time (Chosun Ilbo)

July 23: Police Chief in Yoo Case Sacked (Korea JoongAng Daily)

July 24: The South Korean Ferry Disaster Saga Gets Stranger (Popular Mechanics)

July 24: A Shameful Portrait of an Investigation (Korea JoongAng Daily)

July 25: Investigators Probe Ferry Owner's Money Bags (Chosun Ilbo)

July 25: Son of Late Owner of Sunken Ferry Detained Following Manhunt (Yonhap News)

July 26: Son Nabbed; Yoo's Autopsy Is Inconclusive (Korea JoongAng Daily)

July 26: Prosecutors Launch Investigation into Arrested Son of Sewol Ferry Owner (The Korea Times)

July 27: A Ferry Tragedy & The Downfall of Swindler Tycoon Yoo Byung-eun (The Sydney Morning Herald)

July 27: In Ferry Deaths, A South Korean Tycoons Downfall (The New York Times)

July 27: Prosecutors, "Yoo Dae-kyun Embezzled 3.5 Bn Won from Cheonghaejin Marine Company" (Kyunghyang Shinmun)

July 28: No Help From Crew & Coast Guard, Young Sewol Survivors Testify (The Korea Herald)

July 29: Sewol Owner's Chauffeur Surrenders to Prosecution (The Korea Times)

Wife of a Famous Celebrity Is a Shincheonji Cult Member (All K-Pop)

Daegu Hospital Worker Infected With Coronavirus Hid His Identity as a Shincheonji Cult Member (All K-Pop)

46 Infections Confirmed at Apartment Complex in Daegu (The Korea Herald)

Report Reveals That Famous Actress B & Chief Prosecutor Are Members of Shincheon-ji (Daily Naver)

Apartment Residents Shocked by Mass Infection, Hidden Shincheonji Members (Korea Biomedical Review)

What's not mentioned is really why so many SCJ members live together or near each other. The reason is so that they can be easily monitored by senior members, their activities controlled, and sleep deprivation maintained. And it's cheap - no air-conditioning. One story I heard from parents of former members is that young members are placed in group houses. They are allowed part time jobs, but their earnings are given to the cult, which in return provides just enough cash for basic necessities.


Shincheonji Faces Biggest Crisis Over Coronavirus Outbreak (The Korea Herald)

Entry Ban on Members of Shincheonji Church (Yonhap News)

Being Called a Cult Is One Thing, Being Blamed for an Epidemic Is Quite Another (The New York Times)

Shincheonji Follower Refuses to Enter Virus Treatment Center, Assaults Nurse (The Korea Times)

Who is Lee Man-hee? Jesus of South Korea, Shincheonji Founder Apologized on his Knees after Being Charged for Murder over Coronavirus Deaths (International Business Times)

Police Investigate Alleged Embezzlement by Shincheonji Leader (KBS World Radio)


'Proselytizing Robots': Inside South Korean Church at Outbreak's Center (New York Times)

Korean Christians Seek Action Against Virus-Spreading Sect (UCA News)

Coronavirus: USCIRF Decries South Korea for Blaming Shincheonji Church (Muslim Community Report)

June 2: Prosecution Suspects Information Leaks Aided Ferry Owner's Getaway (The Korea Herald)

June 3: Fugitive Sewol Owner Tries to Seek Asylum (Yonhap News)

June 4: Yoo's In-Law Arrested for Embezzlement (The Korea Herald)

June 4: Yoo Byeong-Eon's "Golden Connections" May Include JYP Entertainment & Several Ambassadors (Key To Korean)

June 5: Two Aides to Fugitive Sewol Owner Put Under Arrest (Yonhap News)

June 5: Yoos' Wings Must be Clipped (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 5: Yoo Tried Using Clout in France (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 10: Murder Trial for Sewol Crewmen Begins (The Korea Times)

June 10: Teacher Who Saved Students Found Within Sewol (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 11: Trial of Sewol Crew Starts with Tears & Curses (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 11: Church Members Vow to Protect Fugitive Sewol Ferry Owner as 5,000 Police Storm Compound in South Korea (The National Post)

June 11: S Korea Ferry Police Target Yoo Byung-eun in Huge Raid (BBC)

June 11: South Korean Police Raid Church in Hunt for Businessman Linked With Sunken Ferry (Time)

June 12: Salvation Sect Raided Once Again (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 12: Teacher Yu Ni-na Laid Beside Colleagues & Students Who Went Before Her (The Kyunghyang Shinmum)

June 13: Raid Finds No Tunnels & No Yoo (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 16: Ferry Owner's Follower Turns Herself In (Chosun Ilbo)

June 16: Yoo's Second Son Masterminded Embezzlement Scheme (

June 16: Detention Warrant Requested for Yoo's Brother (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 17: Defense Lawyers: Crew Barely Escaped Stricken Sewol Ferry (CNN)

June 17: Trial Begins for Executives Who Ran Yoo's Empire (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 20: Investigators Scour Park for Yoo; 1 Man Arrested (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 20: Yoo's Brother-In-Law in Custody (The Korea Times)

June 21: Prosecutors, Police Shift Their Search for Elder Yoo (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 23: Yoo's Wife Questioned After Her Arrest (Korea JoongAng Daily)

June 24: Students Rescued From Sewol to Testify at Nearby Court (The Korea Herald)

May 1: South Korean Authorities Search Ferry Owner's Offices as Probe Widens (CNN)

May 2: Coast Guard Gave Special Treatment to Ferry Captain (Chosun Ilbo)

May 2: Owner Family of Sunken Ferry Snubs Prosecution Summons (Yonhap News)

May 3: Veteran Actress Linked to Sewol Corruption Probe (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 3: It is Not True That The Sewol's captain is Unrelated to the Salvation Sect (The Kukmin Daily)

May 7: Sewol Operator Logged Most Accidents Over 5 years (Yonhap News)

May 8: Chief of Sunken Ferry Operator Arrested for Questioning (Yonhap News)

May 8: Chief of Sewol Ferry Operator Arrested (The Korea Times)

Owners Sunken Of South Korean Ferry Linked To Mass Cult Suicide (The Week)

May 9: Investigators Confirm Ownership of Ferry Operator (Chosun Ilbo)

May 9: Evidence Against Yoo Discovered   (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 9: Yoo May Face Homicide Charges (The Korea Times)

May 9: Tip-off of Ferry Tragedy Raid Probed (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 10: Pay Stub Sheds Light on Yoo Salary (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 11: Brother & Aide of Ferry Firm Owner Grilled Over Corruption (The Korea Herald)

May 11: Prosecutors to Question Eldest Son of Sunken Ferry's Owner (Yonhap News)

May 11: Yoo's Eldest Son to be Called In (The Korea Times)

May 12: Former Politician Questioned in Case Against Yoo (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 12: Eldest Son of Sunken Ferry Owner Snubs Prosecution Summons (Yonhap News)

May 12: Yoo's Children all Snub Prosecution's Summonses (The Korea Times)

May 13: The Absconding Yoos (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 14: Elusive Yoo Family Stumps Investigators (Inside Korea - Internet Archive)

May 14: Eldest Son of Sunken Ferry Operator's Owner Put on Wanted List (KBS World Radio)

May 15: Ferry Owner Cult Members Barricade Compound (Chosun Ilbo)

May 15: Sect Rebels Against Hunt for Owner of The Sewol (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 16: Another Arrest Sought in Hunt for South Korean Ferry Operator Owner (Reuters)

May 16: Arrest Warrant Sought on Yoo (The Korea Times)

May 16: 4 of Sewol's Crew Charged With Type of Homicide (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 16: Owner of Sunken Ferry a No-Show in Court (The Korea Times)

May 18: Tension Escalating in Geumsuwon (The Korea Times)

May 19: Ferry Owner Suspected of Lobbying Politicians (The Korea Herald)

May 19: Yoo is Not Religious Leader (The Korea Times)

May 20: Families of Sewol Victims Monitored by Police (The Korea Times)

May 21: Sewol's Owner Still on the Run (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 22: Manhunt for Patriarch, Sons Over Ferry (Wall Street Journal)

May 22: Sewol Owner Put on Wanted List (Yonhap News)

May 23: Hunt Begins for Yoos' Assets Abroad (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 23: Reward Offered for Missing South Korea Ferry Owner (Washington Examiner)

Police on Hunt For "Fugitive" Sewol Ferry Owner (Arirang News):


May 26: Reward for South Korea Ferry Owner Upped to $500,000 (ABC Australia)

May 26: Four Arrested for Helping Yoo Escape (Korea JoongAng Daily)

May 27: Cult Linked to Ferry Firm Resists Law (The Korea Herald)

May 28: FSS Seeks to Freeze Sewol Cash Flows (The Korea Herald)

May 28: Creditors Set To Collect Loans Extended to Sewol Affiliates (Yonhap News)

May 29: Daughter of Korean Businessman Wanted in Ferry Disaster Arrested (Time)

May 30: Ferry Owner's Close Aide Grilled Over Corruption Allegations (Yonhap News - Article no longer online

May 31: 2nd Private Company Diver Dies in Ferry Search (Korea JoongAng Daily)

1,777 Members of Shincheonji Cult Still Refusing to Turn Themselves in to Get Treatment for Coronavirus (All K-Pop)

Christians in China Warned of Foreign Cult Influence (Binge Post)

First Confirmed Employee With Corona at Daegu Hospital Hid His Identity as Shincheonji Member (Daily Naver)

More Than 1,500 Shincheonji Cult Members Who Tested Positive Refusing Treatment for Coronavirus (International Business Times)

Virus-Hit Apartment Under Isolation, Most Cases Linked to Shincheonji (The Korea Herald)

Shincheonji's W12 Billion Donation Snubbed (The Korea Times)

Virus-Hit Apartment Complex Under Lockdown, All Cases Linked to Religious Sect (Yonhap News)

QuoteThe apartment block, which consists of two five-story buildings, is run by the city for unmarried working women who are under 35 years old....

"A lot of the residents at the apartment were found to be relatively young Shincheonji followers. (The apartment) has been put under isolation on the possibility that additional cases may occur," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook said.

How One Man's Epiphany On a Seoul Mountain in 1955 Laid the Foundation For Many Religious Sects in South Korea (CNN)

Appeal of Coronavirus-Hit Cult Raises Tough Questions for South Korea (Nikkei Asia Review)

They Seemed So Genuine How One Woman Fell Into The Trap Of Alleged Singapore Chapter Of Shincheonji (Salt & Light)

Slouching toward Shincheonji - A Recap Of Past & Present Front Groups (Jon Dunbar for The Korea Times)

Official Investigation Launched into Shincheonji (Korea JoongAng Daily)

South Korean City Rejects Donation from Religious Group Linked to Virus Outbreak (CNN)

Shincheonji's W12b Donation Rejected (The Korea Herald)

Charity Group Returns Shincheonji's 12 Billion-won Donation (Yonhap News)

Shincheonji: Who Are They? What Do They Believe In? Why Problematic?
(Stella - Former SCJ Member - She has quite a few related videos)


Protestant Churches Ask Government to Investigate Shincheonji (The Korea Herald)

QuoteThe churches, however, did not blame the followers of Shincheonji. "COVID-19 is causing extreme hatred and social stigma against Shincheonji followers, which is not healthy. The majority of Shincheonji believers are not only the victims of this incident but also the victims of the religion which is a cult and fundamentally fake," the two church groups said.

A Man of Two Faces: Leader of South Korean Church Tied to Outbreak (Wall Street Journal - Paywall)

Retribution for S. Korea Church that Sparked Coronavirus Outbreak (Taiwan News)