March 2, 2020 

The leader of a controversial religious sect at the center of the coronavirus outbreak in South Korea apologized Monday as the city of Seoul has started a murder investigation into the group, saying the church refused to cooperate with efforts to stop the virus.

The head of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, Lee Man-hee – who claims he is the second coming of Jesus Christ and will take 144,000 people to heaven, as promised in the Bible – got on his knees and bowed at a hastily arranged news conference Monday, according to Straits Times.

In the largest outbreak outside of China, the majority of the country's more than 4,335 confirmed cases are members of the secretive group, labeled a cult in South Korea and by the Christian community, according to a spokesman for the church.

Read more: 

https://www.foxnews.com/world/coronavirus-south-korea-outbreak-controversial-religious-group