Ministry of Justice Refuses to Disclose 'Correctional Facility COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines'... Catholic Human Rights Commission Files Administrative Appeal

Last Year's Cluster Infections at Seoul Eastern Detention Center
"Avoiding Accountability... Must Disclose to Prevent Recurrence"
Human Rights Commission Investigation Confirms Inadequate Response

Seoul Eastern Detention Center. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The Catholic Human Rights Committee has filed an administrative appeal against the Ministry of Justice's refusal to disclose the quarantine guidelines during the COVID-19 cluster infection incident at Seoul Eastern Detention Center at the end of last year.

The Catholic Human Rights Committee announced on the 19th that it filed the administrative appeal on the 15th of this month in objection to the Ministry of Justice's decision to withhold the information disclosure request.

Earlier in April, the Catholic Human Rights Committee requested the Ministry of Justice to disclose information on COVID-19 quarantine guidelines issued to correctional facilities since 2020. However, the Ministry of Justice only disclosed the list of guidelines and withheld the detailed contents, stating that "as matters concerning the execution of sentences and correction, disclosure could significantly hinder the performance of duties," according to the Catholic Human Rights Committee.

In response, the Catholic Human Rights Committee stated, "The undisclosed information (contents of the quarantine guidelines) was created with the purpose of preventing the inflow and spread of COVID-19 in correctional facilities to maintain the health of inmates and correctional officers," and added, "It is clear that this information is not necessary for maintaining the safety and order of the facility by preventing inmate escapes or external intrusions."

They further pointed out, "It is reasonable to view that the reason for non-disclosure is not due to concerns that it would hinder the fair and efficient execution of correctional administration, but rather to avoid accountability for the inadequate quarantine guidelines that caused the COVID-19 cluster infection incident at Seoul Eastern Detention Center."

According to the investigation results of complaints related to COVID-19 in correctional facilities announced last month by the National Human Rights Commission, Seoul Eastern Detention Center did not notify individuals of their COVID-19 test results and refused to confirm the results. Additionally, 185 close contacts were kept waiting in one space for four hours without following key quarantine rules such as social distancing.

The Catholic Human Rights Committee explained, "The undisclosed information is crucial to proving the state's negligence in failing to properly establish quarantine guidelines within correctional facilities despite the COVID-19 pandemic lasting nearly a year," and added, "It is necessary information to prevent recurrence of cluster infection incidents by verifying whether the quarantine guidelines have been appropriately improved and whether the guidelines are actually being applied in the field."

They emphasized, "if the Ministry of Justice's decision to withhold the correctional facility quarantine guidelines is not to avoid accountability for inadequate guideline establishment, it should actively disclose the quarantine guidelines even before the administrative appeal decision."

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