Death row inmates gathered at Seoul Detention Center unable to have visits during Chuseok holiday... Jeong Gyeongshim likely to spend time with family

Recently transferred to Seoul Detention Center, 'serial killer' Yoo Young-chul and other unexecuted death row inmates across correctional institutions nationwide will spend this Chuseok holiday without visits from family or acquaintances.

According to the legal community on the 28th, the Ministry of Justice Correction Headquarters has decided not to allow inmate visitations at correctional institutions nationwide during this Chuseok holiday. With October 2 designated as a temporary holiday, this measure appears to consider the leave schedule of correctional officers.

Yu Young-cheol [Image source=Yonhap News]

From the 28th to the 1st of next month, the correctional broadcast 'Borami Broadcast' will be replaced with various announcements and educational programs. While each correctional facility is expected to hold its own Chuseok events, special meals such as songpyeon will be provided among the three daily meals on Chuseok day, the 29th.

Seoul Detention Center, which houses serial killers including Yoo Young-chul, Kang Ho-soon, and Jung Doo-young, has not yet announced special meals. According to this month's supplementary food menu, meals are expected to be at the usual level. Breakfast on that day will include bread, soup, and vegetable salad; lunch will feature soybean sprout soup and pork gochujang bulgogi; dinner will consist of tofu kimchi soup and braised quail eggs. On Chuseok day, breakfast will be tuna vegetable porridge, pickled radish, and drinkable yogurt; lunch will include dried radish greens soup and braised pork ribs; dinner will be ox bone soup served with braised fish cakes.

Yoo Young-chul was transferred from Daegu Prison on the 25th and will spend the holiday at Seoul Detention Center for the first time. In addition to Yoo, Jung Hyung-gu, who was sentenced to death for shooting a newlywed couple in the car for overtaking his vehicle, was also transferred to Seoul Detention Center.

Some in the legal community interpret these transfers as preparations for carrying out death sentences. Earlier, Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon ordered inspections of four correctional institutions equipped with execution facilities (Seoul Detention Center, Busan Detention Center, Daegu Prison, and Daejeon Prison). As a result, Seoul Detention Center was the only facility practically equipped for use. Under current law, executions must be carried out at the execution chamber of the correctional facility where the inmate is held.

Regarding the transfer of Yoo Young-chul and others, Minister Han stated, "It is true that I gave the order," adding, "The Republic of Korea is a country where the death penalty system remains valid under the Constitution and laws. This is a measure necessary for correctional administration," offering only a general comment.

Former Dongyang University professor Jung Kyung-shim, who was serving a prison sentence for admission fraud involving her children, was released on parole on the morning of the 27th and is leaving the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, former Dongyang University professor Jung Kyung-shim, who was serving a prison sentence for 'children's admission fraud' and other charges, was released from Seoul Detention Center and will spend this holiday with her family.

Jung was released on parole on the 27th after being deemed eligible by the parole review board on the 20th. She left Seoul Detention Center in a wheelchair, boarded a vehicle, and departed without responding to reporters' questions about the indictment of her daughter, Cho Min.

Jung was convicted of forging Dongyang University certificates for her daughter Cho Min and exerting undue influence on her daughter's admission (obstruction of business), receiving a four-year prison sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court in January last year. In February, a related admission fraud case involving her son Cho Won resulted in a one-year prison sentence in the first trial, with the second trial ongoing. Under current law, those sentenced to imprisonment with labor can be paroled after serving one-third of their sentence. Based on the confirmed four-year sentence, Jung's scheduled full release date is August 2024.

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