Shincheonji’s Official Statement Regarding Gwacheon City Council’s Resolution Urging Respect for the Decision Denying the Change of Use

[2026-07-29] Shincheonji’s  Official Statement Regarding Gwacheon City Council’s Resolution Urging Respect for the Decision Denying the Change of Use

Gwacheon Church of Shincheonji Church of Jesus hereby makes clear that the Gwacheon City Council's adoption of the "Resolution Urging Respect for the Decision Denying the Change of Use" constitutes an unjust exercise of political pressure that discriminates against a specific religion and infringes upon the lawful property rights under the superficial guise of education and safety. The grounds cited by the council are based on distorted facts or lack legal justification. Therefore, we are presenting the objective facts as follows.

1. Unconstitutional and Discriminatory Administrative Restrictions Based on Arbitrary Claim of "Public Interest"

It is well established in the precedents of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court that administrative restrictions on religious facilities are justified only on a limited basis when there is clear and specific evidence of a genuine risk to the public. Imposing restrictive measures exclusively on a particular religious organization and not other religious facilities or large public-use facilities in Gwacheon constitutes a serious unconstitutional and unlawful administrative action that violates Article 11 of the Constitution (the principle of equality), Article 20 (freedom of religion), as well as the principle of equal treatment under the administrative law.

2. Inciting Public Anxiety Through the Deliberate Misrepresentation of Objective Statistics

The “9,930 daily attendees” cited in the resolution represents the cumulative total attendance across multiple services, not the number of people gathered at any one time. Portraying it as if a massive crowd gathers at one time and disrupts public order is a distortion of the objective facts that creates unwarranted public anxiety. 

Furthermore, the church's regular worship services are held on Sundays and Wednesdays. No services are conducted between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. on weekdays, when students commute to school. Accordingly, the claim that the church adversely affects the school commuting environment is unfounded and lacks factual basis.

3. Infringement of Fundamental Rights and Abuse of Administrative Authority Based on Speculative Concerns

The city council alleges that the church's proximity to schools infringes upon students' right to education. However, the church does not engage in activities evangelizing minors, and during the past 27 years, not a single case of such infringement has taken place. 

Although concerns regarding pedestrian safety and the school commuting environment are matters that can be addressed through discussions and effective administrative guidance, such as improvements to traffic signal systems and the deployment of safety personnel, effectively barring the change of use while refusing to engage in dialogue or develop remedial measures constitutes a serious abuse of administrative authority that violates the principle of proportionality.

4. Gwacheon Citizens’ Infringement on Lawfully Established Property Rights

The building in question is a lawfully owned private property that was legally acquired through legitimate purchase and registration procedures, with the registered use changed from neighborhood living facilities to facilities for cultural activities and assembly.

Administrative measures must be based on objective standards prescribed by law, and emotional opposition from some residents cannot serve as legitimate grounds for denying an application. Restricting the lawful exercise of property rights based on emotional reasons when no objective risks have been substantiated directly violates Article 23 of the Constitution, which guarantees property rights.

5. Imposition of Inappropriate Political Pressure on the Appellate Court

By adopting a resolution that supports a particular decision of the local government regarding litigation currently pending before the judiciary, the City Council has exceeded its authority by undermining the constitutional principle of the separation of powers and threatening the independence of the judiciary. Despite its outward expression of respect, this serves only as an improper attempt to impose political pressure upon the court.

The Gwacheon City Government and the Gwacheon City Council should immediately cease arbitrary and partial administrative actions and return to the administration in accordance with the principle of the rule of law. Gwacheon Church of Shincheonji Church of Jesus has consistently proposed constructive discussions for coexistence with the local community, and the church remains fully committed to engaging in such dialogue.

Furthermore, the church trusts that the Suwon High Court will render a fair and impartial judgment based solely on the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Korea and objective evidence, without being influenced by political pressure or arbitrary resolutions.

29 July 2026 

Gwacheon Church

Shincheonji, Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony