South Korea had been seen by the global community as one of the leading exemplars in handling the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Being amongst the earliest hit nations last February, South Korea’s fast testing and efficient contact tracing had helped the country contain the number of cases to low double digits in April. However, as social distancing regulations relaxed, successive small-scale mass outbreaks continued, beginning with an outbreak centered in a club in Itaewon. What seemed inevitable finally blew up in August, as Sarang Jeil Church and the large 8.15 Gwanghwamun demonstration sparked a new epicenter in South Korea’s capital city.

In early August, an unprecedented mass outbreak of COVID-19 cases was connected to Sarang Jeil Church, a conservative Presbyterian church located in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Although authorities attempted to prevent any further spreading of the virus, many church members neglected quarantine and testing orders to attend a rally held in Gwanghwamun on August 15.

Since then, the Gwanghwamun demonstration has become a catalyst in the nationwide spread. New COVID-19 cases skyrocketed to over 300 daily, mostly concentrated in the metropolitan areas of Seoul and Gyeongi Province. Due to the high population density of Seoul, the high proportion of senior citizens amongst the infected, and the increasing percentage of cases with unknown infection routes, this new wave appears to be more dangerous than past outbreaks. Again, Korean citizens’ hopes to regain their ordinary lives have been interrupted.

Uncooperative in a Time of Crisis

Unfortunately, this new wave of COVID-19 cases has been characterized by a lack of cooperation in the prevention of the epidemic, particularly by those motivated by conservative evangelical conspiracies. At the Gwanghwamun demonstration, Jun Kwang-hoon, the pastor of Sarang Jeil Church, exclaimed that the Moon administration “terrorized the church with the Wuhan virus to prevent [him] from attending the demonstration.” By adding a political aspect to the pandemic, Jun and others have encouraged their followers to go against official health advice in order to protect their freedom.

The consequence of this uncooperative attitude, however, is felt by ordinary citizens. Professor Choi Won Suk (College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases) explained, “Disrupting epidemiology investigations can cause serious problems in containing the virus. Experts can lose opportunities to prevent mass outbreaks, as well as their ability to curb serious illnesses and, ultimately, deaths.”

Due to the unprecedented level of danger, the government raised social distancing regulations to Stage 2.5. Because Stage 2.5 shuts down numerous businesses, its economic implications are harsh. However, the Korean Center for Disease Control (KCDC) expressed that to prevent a complete lockdown in the future, this immediate partial sacrifice was necessary. Although social distancing regulations certainly limit the frequency and scale of social gatherings, containing the virus is ultimately in the hands of each individual citizen—failing to act responsibly now has serious legal consequences.

Crimes Against Public Health

The KCDC and government have proceeded to take legal measures against those who have endangered public health, primarily by exercising the right to indemnity. Particularly against Jun and Sarang Jeil Church, the Health Insurance Corporation (HIC) and Seoul are preparing claims for indemnity, with Seoul’s demands estimated to value approximately 500 million South Korean won.

However, according to the Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company (JTBC), this value is only a fraction of the total intended demand. It is likely that the HIC and Seoul are utilizing the legal technique of slowly increasing charges based on the decisions of the Ministry of Justice. However, the main issue in this legal case rests on the extent to which the causal relationship between the sued institution and affected individuals is acknowledged. As was in the case of charging Shincheonji for the COVID-19 outbreak in February, there is difficulty in setting a standard for what was caused by an institution and what was not. With the Ministry of Justice revoking Jun’s release on bail, official lawsuits against him and Sarang Jeil Church will soon commence.

Characteristics and Revelations of the Second Wave

Another disparity between this new outbreak and the one experienced earlier this year lies in the genetic makeup of the virus itself. In a COVID-19 briefing in late August, Jung Eun Kyeong, the Director of the KCDC, announced that the COVID-19 strain, which accounted for the vast majority of recent cases, was the *GH strain*. Since Director Jung’s announcement, many media sources have gone on to report that the GH strain was over six times more infectious, yet possibly less deadly.

“There have been many cases where viruses, as a result of adapting to their hosts, mutate to have higher infection rates and lower fatality rates,” added Professor Choi. However, he continued to clarify that, with COVID-19 being such a novel virus, there is little research to provide actual evidence that COVID-19 has become more infectious or less deadly. The Hankyoreh also explained that, despite the GH strain having a higher proliferation rate, this revelation does not necessarily indicate higher infection nor lower fatality rates. In other words, there is no scientific proof to validate a new sense of panic or security yet.

In addition, South Korea has witnessed a high level of COVID-19 cases with unknown infection routes. Professor Choi also emphasized his concerns about this situation: “The prevalence of patients with unknown infection routes is worrisome because, around them, there is likely to be several times more infected people. Since we are in the dark regarding the number of infected carriers before the virus reached a now-confirmed COVID-19 patient, we are also unable to estimate how many more people are carrying the virus.” This may mean that there has already been significant spread in our community, making containment more difficult.

We are already into the final quarter of 2020, and yet the months continue in which we ask, “Until when?” However, this second wave is a reminder that individual actions cause collateral damage, especially during an unfinished pandemic. It is a reminder that we are not at a safer point in the pandemic, especially as we approach winter, during which conditions for the spread of viruses are ideal, and the pandemic collides with other contagious respiratory illnesses. As individuals and members of a collective society, this pandemic indeed urges us to make a habit of caution and willingly cooperate with the people actively fighting to save lives.