In one dormitory room, up to 20 people lived, and there were no partitions in the dining room. Some floors of the boarding facility shared a shower and toilet.
An unauthorized facility belonging to a religious organization in Jung-gu, Daejeon, where the COVID-19 outbreak occurred. Freelancer Seongtae Kim
It turned out that an unauthorized facility (IEM International School) belonging to a religious organization in Daejeon, where a number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) occurred, ignored the quarantine regulations. At this facility in Daeheung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 127 people were infected with Corona 19 on the 24th. Of these, 114 students were employed, and the rest were faculty members.
According to the city of Daejeon on the 25th, 120 people, including freshmen and current students of the school, entered the dormitory on the 3rd to 5th floors of the facility between the 4th and 15th. The city of Daejeon explained that each dormitory room was assigned as few as 7 people and as many as 20 people.
Partitions for seats were not installed in the basement restaurant, and some floors shared showers and toilets. An official from Daejeon City said, “It seems that the worst situation was that a large number of people lived in groups under the conditions of 3 dense (closed, closed, close).”
In addition, the school said that even though the first symptoms occurred on the 12th, there was no preemptive examination by the school. There were symptoms on the weekend, so there was no action until two students who went to their homes in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do and Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do were confirmed locally on the 24th. The first symptom of this facility is reported to be a student who entered Gyeongnam-do on the 12th. This student had symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, and headache.
The city of Daejeon and the quarantine authorities are planning to investigate whether or not quarantine rules are violated, such as face-to-face worship and distancing within the facility, and take measures according to the law. Regarding the cause of the outbreak of group infection, the quarantine authorities are investigating the possibility that asymptomatic infected people admitted to other students and spread the virus to other students as students had been quarantined after entering the dormitory without contact with outsiders. IEM International School was closed for three weeks until February 14th.
In addition to IEM International School, IM Mission operates 23 educational facilities across the country, including TCS and CAS. It is known that the headquarters in Daejeon, where the group infection occurred this time, is the headquarters, and teachers and others are trained at the headquarters in Daejeon, and are then deployed to educational facilities nationwide. It was found that IM Mission has not held national meetings since December last year.
Heo Tae-jeong, mayor of Daejeon said, “Unlike other religious institutions where group infections occurred, such as the BJT World Center in Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, they gathered in one local facility to receive education and scattered across the country.
An unauthorized facility belonging to a religious organization in Daeheung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, where the COVID-19 group infection occurred. Freelancer Seongtae Kim
The city of Daejeon received contact information for representatives of these facilities from the mission and submitted them to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (companion), and each city/province is planning to take measures such as additional inspections. Violation of the quarantine rules will be confirmed and prosecuted.
Daejeon IEM International School is an unlicensed educational facility operated by the IM (International Mission) Mission, called the “Korea’s Next Generation Movement Headquarters,” with the aim of fostering missionaries. Each year, young people aged 16-18 are selected to teach Christian faith and middle and high school courses. Students live in dormitory 24 hours
In addition to the main building, this facility consists of an annex, reading books, and employee accommodation. Daejeon City reported that the chapel on the second floor of the main building seems to be a place where students mainly worship.
This school requires parents to agree with the school’s educational philosophy and policy. To be admitted, students must participate in the state water camp hosted by the school at least once. Freshmen learn doctrine, lifestyle, English, and community for four weeks after enrollment. Students are required to take the GED to be recognized for their high school graduation education. The school runs a 10-week GED camp. There are also college entrance exams, occasional courses, and study abroad courses.
Daejeon = Reporter Kim Bang-hyun [email protected]