A member of pastor Jeon Kwang Hoon's Love First Church has escaped from a hospital where he was undergoing isolation treatment. The member was revealed to have attended service at the Love First Church and was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

According to Paju City Office on August 18th KST, a 50-year-old Pyeongtaek resident (hereafter Mr.A), who was being quarantined at Paju Hospital, fled from the hospital on August 18th and the police have begun to track him down.

The hospital staff stated that Mr.A was not in his hospital room when the staff went to deliver his meal at 8 AM. Thereafter, the hospital checked the surveillance cameras and confirmed that Mr.A had left the hospital through the front door at 12:18 AM. The hospital immediately reported to the police about Mr.A's escape.

The police notified the residents of Pyeontaek city and began tracking Mr.A.

After 25 hours since his escape, the Love First Church member was arrested by police. Now, many citizens and netizens are curious about the severity of the punishment of breaking quarantine.

The Seodaemun Police Station in Seoul said they caught the man at a coffee shop in Sinchon at around 1:15 a.m. on Wednesday. Upon his arrest, he was taken to Paju Hospital in a 119 ambulance. At the time of the arrest, the man was wearing a dental mask. It was reported that there were about 40 customers at the coffee shop at the time of his arrest.

According to police details, the man fled the hospital at around 12:20 AM the day before. He walked out of the hospital and traveled via taxi. Then he took a bus at a Bongilcheon station located 3km away from the hospital. The man took the bus and traveled to Seoul.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (hereafter CDSCH), a person who has been diagnosed with COVID19 will be punished in accordance with the Infectious Disease Prevention Act if the person refuses treatment.

Kim Kap Rip, the first general coordinator of  CDSCH stated, "If a person refuses treatment or escapes from treatment, that is a violation of the quarantine measures. This will result in penalties under the Infectious Disease Prevention Act. The person can be sentenced to up to one year in prison or fined up to 10 million KRW (~8,456 USD)."