Gwacheon City's refusal to change the use of religious facilities is illegal!

 1. Violation of ‘freedom of religion’ guaranteed by the Constitution

In the lawsuit filed by Shincheonji Church of Jesus against Gwacheon City to cancel the refusal to change the use of the building register, the first trial court ruled in favor of Shincheonji. The court ruled that Gwacheon City’s decision was illegal and ordered the cancellation, and Gwacheon City was also responsible for the costs of the lawsuit.

The court ruled that “under the Building Act, changes in use within the same facility group are subject to repair, and the complaints or safety issues raised by Gwacheon City cannot be grounds for refusal.” It also added that “multiple complaints or negative perceptions cannot be the basis for administrative disposition,” and that this violates the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution.

2. Gwacheon City’s ‘biased administration’ put on the brakes by the court

In 2020, during the COVID-19 outbreak, Gwacheon City closed the Shincheonji Church of Jesus’ worship center without legal grounds and actually restricted religious activities thereafter, but the court judged this biased administration to be illegal and put the brakes on it.
This ruling is a decision that clearly states that infringement of religious freedom due to political and social pressure is unconstitutional and that local government administrative authority must be equal before the rule of law.


A Shincheonji Church of Jesus official said, “The mental suffering suffered by the believers and the material damage to the church during the five years of not being able to attend services are indescribable,” and added, “This ruling is a stern warning from the judiciary against religiously biased illegal administration and a valuable decision that reminds us of the spirit of the Constitution.”

This victory is not just a problem for Shincheonji Church of Jesus. It raises fundamental questions about how fair our society is in measuring ‘difference’ and how far administrative power can intervene. All religions are equal before the law, and religious freedom should never be shaken by the majority’s perception or political judgment!!!