--- description: A mysterious religious group described by the government of South Korea as a "cult" has emerged as a hotbed of new coronavirus cases title: South Korean 'Cult' Linked to Coronavirus Outbreak image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde24298556f00e43/698a0a8697cdff28086ba5c4/south-korea-coronavirus-cult.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [COVID-19](/tag/covid-19/) ## COVID-19 Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # South Korean 'Cult' at Center of Local Coronavirus Outbreak  by [Billy Perrigo](/author/billy-perrigo/)  ## Billy Perrigo Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Correspondent Feb 20, 2020 4:17 PM CUT  Staff at a hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu, South Korea, where new cases of the virus have been linked to a mysterious religious sect Staff at a hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu, South Korea, where new cases of the virus have been linked to a mysterious religious sectNurPhoto via Getty Images—Seung-il Ryu/NurPhoto  by [Billy Perrigo](/author/billy-perrigo/)  ## Billy Perrigo Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Correspondent Feb 20, 2020 4:17 PM CUT A mysterious religious group described by the government of South Korea as a “[cult](https://is.cdc.go.kr/upload%5Fcomm/syview/doc.html?fn=158210048180200.pdf&rs=/upload%5Fcomm/docu/0030/ "undefined")” has emerged as a hotbed of new [coronavirus](https://time.com/5786657/tokyo-olympics-coronavirus-asia-china/ "undefined") cases, according to official statistics. At least 33 of South Korea’s 104 confirmed cases as of Feb. 20 are linked to the Shincheonji sect, which is also known as “Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.” The group, an offshoot of Christianity, was founded in 1984 by a man claiming to be a prophet sent by Jesus Christ. It [reportedly](https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/inquirer/brainwashed-annie-taken-by-the-cult/news-story/89488c31db86e848a4608d44d5217286 "undefined") has more than 120,000 followers worldwide. _Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter by clicking_ [_on this link_](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/coronavirus?source=article "undefined")_, and please send any tips, leads, and stories to_ [_virus@time.com_](mailto:virus@time.com "undefined")_._ Its adherents believe the religion is the one true version of Christianity, and that they will be the only ones to achieve salvation when judgement day arrives, [according to its scripture](https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-07-11/apocalyptic-korean-christian-group-goes-different-names-critics-say-its-just-cult "undefined"). Relatives of adherents to the sect have said in media reports that they have been [cut off](https://www.thenational.ae/uae/mystery-surrounds-visit-to-uae-of-alleged-religious-cult-1.126337 "undefined") from contacting family members. One woman is believed to have spread the virus (officially named as COVID-19) among the Shincheonji sect. Officials said she had come into contact with 166 people, who were asked to quarantine themselves, according to the Associated Press. The cases linked to the sect are clustered in the city of Daegu, in the south of the country. South Korea now has the third-most infections of the coronavirus in the world, behind [China](https://time.com/5783838/coronavirus-symptoms-wuhan-survivor/ "undefined") and Japan. Globally, more than 75,750 people are infected and 2,130 have died. The vast majority of cases (74,579) are in mainland China — but there are confirmed cases in 30 countries and provinces around the world, including in Europe and North America. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5787898/south-korea-coronavirus-sect/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5787898/south-korea-coronavirus-sect/"},"headline":"South Korean 'Cult' at Center of Local Coronavirus Outbreak","datePublished":"2020-02-20T16:17:02.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T08:17:14.420Z","description":"A mysterious religious group described by the government of South Korea as a \"cult\" has emerged as a hotbed of new coronavirus cases","url":"https://time.com/5787898/south-korea-coronavirus-sect/","keywords":["COVID-19","South Korea"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde24298556f00e43/698a0a8697cdff28086ba5c4/south-korea-coronavirus-cult.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Billy Perrigo","jobTitle":"Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/billy-perrigo/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde24298556f00e43/698a0a8697cdff28086ba5c4/south-korea-coronavirus-cult.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"South Korea Corona Virus Mass Infection","caption":"South Korea Corona Virus Mass Infection","creditText":"NurPhoto via Getty Images—Seung-il Ryu/NurPhoto","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/covid-19/","name":"COVID-19"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5787898/south-korea-coronavirus-sect/","name":"South Korean 'Cult' at Center of Local Coronavirus Outbreak"}}]}] ```