In pictures: South Korea mass wedding defies coronavirus fears

Reuters Couples at a mass wedding held by the Unification Church in Gapyeong-gun in South Korea.

Thousands of couples have attended a mass wedding held by the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, also known as the Unification Church, in South Korea.

The ceremony was held at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeongin near the capital Seoul despite fears the event could help spread the coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan in China.

South Korea has confirmed 24 cases of the coronavirus - the latest a South Korean airlifted from Wuhan last week.

Reuters A bride wearing a mask for protection from the new coronavirus, attends a mass wedding ceremony of the Unification Church at Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong,

Some of the couples wore masks for the ceremony but not everyone saw a mask as a necessary precaution.

AFP Bride takes a selfie at a mass wedding ceremony organised by the Unification Church in South Korea.

Nearly 6,000 people from more than 60 countries were married at the event. Such events have been a feature of the Unification Church since the 1960s.

Getty Images Attendees are checked using thermometers at a mass wedding ceremony organised by the Unification Church in South Korea.

Attendees were checked for coronavirus symptoms. Other large-scale events in South Korea have been cancelled. The church did however ban couples from China from attending.