There are more revelations about the Grace Road Church, such as how in 2014 it was declared a cult in South Korea which led its founder Pastor Shin Ok-ju to close down there and set up home in Fiji.
Professor Ji-il Tark studies religion and cults. He spoke to Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s ‘The World’ program on Monday and raised his concern for the lives of Grace Road Church followers.
Professor Tark wants the authorities to do more.
Reflecting on the massacre of followers of the infamous Jonestown cult in 1978 in Guyana in South America, his concern is the lives of the Grace Road Church followers.
“Not only did the group kill all the investigators and reporters but also they even killed almost 900 people with poison among which, half of them were young children.”
Ok-ju was arrested on allegations of money laundering, assault and confinement of some 400 church members.
Korean prosecutors are now building a case against her. Professor Tark says it’ll be a difficult task.
“It’s not slavery but voluntary devotion or commitment, not confinement but heavenly and beautiful promised land so I can say in a cult group, right or wrong is not important but obedience or disobedience is important.”
FBC News understands Korean and Fijian police continue to question the Church followers to determine if they want to return to South Korea.
