Ministry of Justice Resumes Visits at Correctional Facilities Nationwide... Excluding 'Dongbu' and 'Nambu' Due to Cluster Infections

Pretrial Detainee and S1~4 Level Visits Partially Allowed by Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Areas... "Upgrade if Risk Factors Detected"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The Ministry of Justice is easing quarantine measures in correctional facilities nationwide. This move follows the quarantine authorities' decision to relax 'social distancing' measures starting this week. However, facilities such as Dongbu Detention Center and Nambu Prison, where COVID-19 infection risks remain, will be excluded.

According to the legal community on the 16th, the Ministry of Justice will allow both in-person and video visitations at correctional facilities nationwide starting this week.

After a mass infection occurred at Dongbu Detention Center at the end of last year, a uniform Level 3 quarantine measure was applied to all correctional facilities. Not only in-person but also video visitations were suspended, and the use of kitchens and bathing facilities was restricted. It was only in mid-last month that quarantine authorities adjusted social distancing measures to Level 2.5 in the metropolitan area and Level 2 in non-metropolitan areas, partially easing quarantine measures in correctional facilities, but visitations remained restricted.

However, starting this week, as the metropolitan area lowers its level from 2.5 to 2 and non-metropolitan areas from 2 to 1.5, the Ministry of Justice has decided to permit visitations.

In correctional facilities within the metropolitan area, pretrial detainees and inmates classified as S1 to S2 can have visitations once a week, while those classified as S3 to S4 can have visitations once every two weeks. In non-metropolitan correctional facilities, visitation frequency increases further. Pretrial detainees and S1 inmates can have visitations twice a week, and S2 to S4 inmates can have differentiated visitations ranging from 6 to 4 times per month.

However, facilities like Dongbu Detention Center and Nambu Prison, where recent COVID-19 cases have occurred or confirmed inmates are undergoing treatment, will continue visitation restrictions for the time being. Dongbu Detention Center has begun normalizing operations by returning about 210 inmates transferred to other institutions last week, but it has finalized lifting restrictions only on the use of kitchens, exercise, and bathing facilities. Nambu Prison remains at a concerning stage after nine kitchen workers tested positive on the 2nd and an additional close-contact inmate was confirmed positive on the 6th.

A Ministry of Justice official stated, "For places where COVID-19 risk factors have emerged in the past 2 to 3 weeks, we will monitor the situation further before deciding on resuming visitations. If risk factors are detected within correctional facilities, we will promptly adjust the quarantine level independently of local government measures."

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