Cluster Infection at Dongbu Detention Center... First COVID-19 Death Confirmed

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The first death from COVID-19 has occurred at Seoul Dongbu Detention Center. The deceased is known to be Yoon Chang-yeol, the main culprit in the 'Good Morning City sales fraud' case.

According to the Ministry of Justice on the 29th, Yoon, who tested positive for COVID-19 at Seoul Dongbu Detention Center, died on the 27th while receiving treatment at a living treatment center. Yoon was an inmate with a confirmed sentence, incarcerated at Dongbu Detention Center, and tested positive for COVID-19 during the second mass screening on the 23rd.

Yoon was arrested and indicted in 2003 for embezzling corporate funds and pocketing 370 billion won from the Good Morning City sales project, which he started in 2001. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and served his term. However, after his release, he was found guilty of fraud amounting to 1.6 billion won and was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in June 2018. Last year, he was sentenced to an additional 6 months for further fraud and was serving that sentence.

As the first death occurred, the cumulative number of confirmed cases related to Dongbu Detention Center has increased to 762 as of the 29th. At Dongbu Detention Center, after one staff member was first confirmed positive on the 27th of last month, a total of 15 people, including 14 staff members and one released inmate, were infected in a cluster on the 15th of this month.

The Ministry of Justice separated the inmates who tested positive, closed the affected housing unit, and implemented quarantine measures. Visits, rehabilitation events, and transfers were completely suspended, and additional medical personnel, masks, and Level D protective suits were supplied. On the previous day, 345 confirmed cases were transferred to Cheongsong Prison.

On the day, Choo Mi-ae, Minister of Justice, visited the site, completed an inspection, and urged the staff to do their best to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

However, some criticism has arisen that the Ministry of Justice's response was inadequate. A representative criticism is that inmates were not sufficiently provided with masks. In response, the Ministry of Justice stated, "According to epidemiological experts from the quarantine authorities, it is not necessary to conduct mass testing daily, and testing every 3 to 4 days is sufficient, so mass testing is being conducted accordingly."

Meanwhile, in response to criticism that the occupancy rate at Dongbu Detention Center is high relative to its capacity, the Ministry of Justice is securing sufficient separation space through emergency transfers of inmates.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.