[11] On August 12, 2022, the Supreme Court of Korea upheld the acquittal of Lee Man Hee on charges that he obstructed the government's response to COVID-19 outbreaks in 2020.

However, as senior leaders and executives within the denomination continue dying, doubts are growing regarding the doctrine of physical immortality.

Due to its poor image in mainstream South Korean society, Shincheonji leaders have at times instructed their followers to lie about their membership, something the group has stated to not be official policy.

The structure and organization of Shincheonji consist of 24 administrative departments, centered around the chairman, who is considered the Promised Pastor in the New Testament.

[27] The origin of the Feast of Tabernacles is found in God's command to Moses that Israelites should dwell in booths to remember their journey out of Egypt (Leviticus 23:33-44).

These members themselves become spiritual booths (i.e., homes) where the Holy Spirit dwells, and they offer thanksgiving to God (Isaiah 40:6-7, 1 Corinthians 3:16).

[28] The origin of the Feast of Ingathering goes back to the time when the Israelites, after leaving Egypt under Moses’ leadership, settled in the land of Canaan.

[32] In March 2020, health authorities of the Government of South Korea investigating the COVID-19 pandemic officially declared to the press that they obtained an exact list of 317,320 registered Shincheonji members.

[39] On April 4, 2020, a 39-year-old man threw a rock at the Ulsan branch church building, breaking a glass window at the front entrance.

[41] The case is still under investigation, and police have ruled the threatening letter was originally addressed to a different Shincheonji building in Gyeonggi Province.

Their tactics involve various forms of disguise and deception, engaging in activities that exploit religion to pursue the interests of the group, showcasing antisocial behavior.

[62] In a related case, the Suwon District Court upheld the first-instance ruling in the appeal of Lee, who had filed a "youth return lawsuit" against Shincheonji Church of Jesus.

Lee claimed that he quit his teaching job and made donations due to the church's "deceptive evangelism" and sought compensation for damages.

[63] It has been revealed that students affiliated with Shincheonji took over the Chungnam National University General Club Association, monopolizing positions such as president and other executive roles for five years.

The university announced its intention to take action in accordance with school regulations, while the Christian community also expressed plans to issue an official protest.

Members are told to check their parents' phones for contacts, recent call logs, text messages, and whether there are any group chats on KakaoTalk excluding them.

[65] In 2020, Kim Nam-hee publicly revealed her extramarital affair with Shincheonji leader Lee Man-hee, releasing photos from their wedding, moments of her caring for him in the hospital, images at her parents' gravesite, couple rings, and letters.

The relationship is said to have started around 2006, and Kim even played a key role in a performance symbolizing the "Wedding Banquet of Revelation 19" during the final event of the 6th World Peace Restoration of Light Heavenly Culture Arts Festival in 2012.

[77] Shincheonji is facing controversy for allegedly threatening and harming former members who, after leaving the group, realized its contradictions and falsehoods and exposed the truth about its practices.

However, as the media environment changed and financial pressures increased, major newspapers began to accept ads from groups labeled as cults.

Shincheonji members working within media companies and influencing coverage, and 3. purchasing articles and advertisements to use as promotional tools.

On October 17, 2024, the Anyang Branch of the Suwon District Court dismissed the claim brought by Pastor Baek's family, ruling that the statements did not constitute defamation of the deceased, and ordered the plaintiffs to bear the legal costs.

[91] On February 20, 2020, Shincheonji's Daegu branch submitted a list of its members to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to aid with contract-tracing.

Despite this, officials from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency requested members’ citizen registration numbers to be included in the data.

[96] In the initial discussion between representatives of Shincheonji and the Blue House, the Blue House official in charge of the case was made aware of Shincheonji's concerns for congregants’ safety and privacy, and the omission of information from certain congregants, such as minors and those at special risk for persecution, such as elected politicians or public officials.

"[100] With an additional 4,000 cases of COVID-19 within two weeks, and roughly 60% of the total infections nationwide having stemmed from the church,[101] the Seoul city government asked prosecutors to press charges against the religious group's founder and senior members for murder, causing harm, and for violating the Infectious Disease and Control Act.

[104] The Seoul City government filed legal complaints to state prosecutors against 12 leaders of the church, accusing the group of homicide, causing harm, and violating the Infectious Disease and Control Act.

[108] Prosecutors specifically alleged that Lee had failed to provide health authorities with a complete lists of church members in violation of South Korea's Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.

[114] Prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence and a fine of ₩3 million (2021) (US$2,622) on the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act charges.

[115][109] In January 2021, the Suwon District Court acquitted Lee of the COVID-19-related charges, ruling that lists of church members were not "key elements of epidemiological surveys" defined in the Act.