[Exclusive] Arsonist Awaiting PCR Test in Detention Center Commits Suicide... Poor Management Under Scrutiny

An Octogenarian Arsonist Commits Suicide in Temporary Isolation Facility
CCTV Footage Not Recorded... Difficult to Verify Incident Details

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] The management practices of correctional facilities have come under scrutiny after an inmate housed in a detention center died by suicide.

According to a report compiled by Asia Economy on the 18th, Mr. A (80), who was detained at the Pyeongtaek branch of Suwon Detention Center on charges including attempted murder and arson of an occupied building, was found unconscious around 6:20 a.m. on the 16th. This was just one day after the Pyeongtaek Police Station transferred Mr. A to the prosecution. Mr. A took his own life in a temporary container set up outside to await the results of a COVID-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test. Although a correctional officer discovered him and he was transported to a hospital, he ultimately passed away.

In response, the Ministry of Justice stated that a patrol officer who found Mr. A’s suicide attempt performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and transported him to the hospital, but he died that afternoon. The Ministry explained, "Since conditions do not allow for immediate construction of a building, inmates are temporarily isolated in container boxes," adding, "Management and supervision are conducted through CCTV." Despite monitoring via CCTV, the situation was not immediately recognized at the time.

According to the police, the CCTV in question only allows real-time viewing and does not have video recording capabilities. A police official said, "Only real-time monitoring is possible, so it was not possible to review footage after an incident occurred." It was confirmed that two staff members were on duty at the time of the incident.

As the COVID-19 crisis has prolonged, leading to an increase in temporary external detention facilities beyond the detention center, concerns have been raised about the difficulty of establishing a constant monitoring system. Currently, the Ministry of Justice conducts one rapid antigen test and one PCR test for infection prevention. Admission to the prison is only possible if both tests return negative results.

Incidents of inmates dying by suicide continue to occur. According to the Ministry of Justice’s "Correctional Statistics Yearbook," suicides in detention centers and prisons have increased annually: 2 cases in 2017, 7 in 2018, 8 in 2019, and 11 in 2020. The ratio of correctional incidents relative to the average daily inmate population also rose to 2.3% in 2020 from 1.8% in 2019. With enhanced monitoring of isolated individuals due to COVID-19, the workload has also intensified.

Professor Kwak Daekyung of Dongguk University’s Police and Judicial College said, "Even if abnormal behavior is detected through CCTV, it takes time to reach the scene, so it is difficult to prevent suicide with equipment alone within the facility," adding, "A system is needed to selectively and proactively observe individuals in advance, considering their psychological instability and health conditions."

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