The Shincheonji Church of Jesus was one of the epicenters of the Covid-19 outbreak in the region. Many news outlets, mainstream Christian groups, and academics have called the group a cult. There is an ongoing debate about the role of fervent religiosity prevalent in South Korean culture, and its relationship to political life.

Part of the challenge of the investigation was the secrecy surrounding church membership, making it challenging to trace who was more likely to have been exposed. Exposure was also a greater risk as face masks were strongly discouraged by church theology and leadership. The church was extremely reluctant to shut down or alter traditional services even following warnings from health officials.

The epidemiological investigation revealed that more than 1,250 Shincheonji church members reported potential symptoms. On March 15, 2020, 61% of the confirmed Covid-19 infections in South Korea were associated with a single church service in the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu.