韓国の新興宗教教祖、土下座し謝罪　新型ウイルス感染拡大で

【加平ＡＦＰ＝時事】韓国で新型コロナウイルスの流行の中心となっている秘密主義の新興宗教団体「新天地イエス教会」の教祖が2日、感染を拡大させたことについて謝罪した。（写真は「新天地イエス教会」の教祖のイ・マニ氏）
　韓国の新型ウイルスの感染者４０００人超のうち、新天地イエス教会の関係者がその半数超を占めている。
　教祖のイ・マニ氏（８８）は声を震わせながら、「教会員を代表して、私から国民に対して心からのおわびを表明したい」と述べた。
　同国北部の加平で開かれた記者会見では、報道陣を前に土下座し、「意図的なものではなかったが、多くの人が感染してしまった」と説明。
「私たちは最大限の努力を傾けたものの、防ぐことはできなかった。国民の許しを乞う」「政府に対してその努力に非常に感謝している。政府に対しても許しを乞う」と述べた。
　これに先立ちソウル市政府は、殺人や感染症予防・管理法違反などで、同教祖を含む教会指導者１２人を検察に告発したと発表。
　朴元淳（パク・ウォンスン）ソウル市長は自身のフェイスブックページで、「もし彼らが積極的に早期対策を講じていれば、われわれは大邱や慶尚北道におけるＣＯＶＩＤ-１９感染者の爆発的な急増を食い止めることができた」と指摘した。
　同教会は、当局が関係者２６万６０００人超を追跡および検査しようとしたものの、正確ではない信者名簿を当局に提出したとして非難の目が向けられている。
　教祖のイ氏は最後の審判の日に１４万４０００人を天国に連れて行く「約束された指導者」として信者から崇拝されており、同団体はカルト団体として非難されることも多い。
　先月１０日に同団体の女性信者（６１）が発熱したものの、韓国第４の都市・大邱で少なくとも４回礼拝に参加。その後、女性の新型コロナウイルス感染が確認され、大邱は同国におけるウイルス流行の中心地となった。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/03/03-13:08）

The leader of a secretive South Korean sect linked to more than half the country's 4,000-plus coronavirus cases apologised Monday for the spread of the disease.
Shincheonji head Lee Man-hee's plea for forgiveness came after Seoul city authorities filed a murder complaint against him for failing to cooperate in containing the epidemic.
South Korea's case numbers -- the largest total anywhere outside China -- are expected to rise further as authorities carry out checks on more than 266,000 people associated with the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which is often condemned as a cult.
I would like to offer my sincere apology to the people, said Lee, his voice breaking.
Although it was not intentional, many people have been infected, the 88-year-old said, twice getting to his knees to bow before reporters in Gapyeong, his head to the floor.
I seek the forgiveness of the people.
I am very thankful to the government for its efforts, he added. I also seek the forgiveness of the government.
Lee is revered by his followers as the Promised Pastor who has taken on the mantle of Jesus Christ and will take 144,000 people with him to heaven on the Day of Judgement, which he will usher in within his own lifetime.
A 61-year-old female member developed a fever on February 10 but attended at least four church services in Daegu -- the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million and the centre of the outbreak -- before being diagnosed.
At services Shincheonji members sit close together on the floor and pray extensively in what critics say creates an ideal environment to spread viral infections.
Lee -- whose organisation says he has tested negative for the virus -- insisted that the group was actively cooperating with the government.
At churches, the leader of the church is like a parent and its members are the children, he said, pausing occasionally to wipe tears from his eyes as protesters shouted abuse.
What parent would stand by and watch when there is such a scary disease that could even lead to death? Wouldn't they try to fix it?
Seoul's city government has asked prosecutors to press charges including homicide against Lee and 11 other leaders after the sect was accused of submitting false lists of its members to authorities.
For its part, the sect says members face social stigma and discrimination if their beliefs become publicly known, dissuading some from responding to official inquiries.
Under South Korean law prosecutors can make their own decision on whether to act on complaints filed to them, and Yonhap news agency reported that the Seoul City request had been assigned for investigation.
Seoul mayor Park Won-soon added on his Facebook page: If they had actively taken early measures, we could have prevented the explosive rise of COVID-19 cases in Daegu and North Gyeongbuk province and the deaths of several people.
South Korea reported 476 new coronavirus cases Monday, taking the total to 4,212, while the death toll rose to 22 with four more people dying, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Infection numbers have surged in the world's 12th-largest economy in recent days and the country's central bank has warned of a contraction in the first quarter, noting the epidemic will hit both consumption and exports.
Scores of events have been cancelled or postponed over the contagion.
The education ministry said that school and kindergarten breaks, which had already been extended nationwide to next Monday, will be lengthened by a further two weeks.