"Time and Mind Stand Still... 20 Inmates in a 7-Pyeong Cell, Stench Fills the Punishment Room"

At around 11 a.m. on the 15th, in the inmate housing unit of Anyang Prison in Anyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, correction officers and 18 members of the press are experiencing incarceration in a large communal cell measuring 24.61 square meters (approximately 7.4 pyeong) designed for 9 inmates. Ministry of Justice

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At around 11 a.m. on the 15th, in the inmate housing unit of Anyang Prison in Anyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, approximately 15 to 17 inmates were packed closely together in a large communal cell measuring 24.61 square meters (about 7.4 pyeong), which is designed for 9 people. Beads of sweat formed on their foreheads. In this cell, which can house up to 20 people, the space available per person is only 1.23 to 1.64 square meters (about 0.37 to 0.49 pyeong). This is less than half the international recommendation. The International Committee of the Red Cross recommends securing 3.4 square meters (about 1 pyeong) per person.

The issue of overcrowding was clearly evident during the incarceration experience attended by Minister of Justice Jeong Seong-ho, correctional officers, and 19 members of the press. Although the weather was not hot, with a high of 25 degrees Celsius and the experience lasted only about two hours, the temperature felt like midsummer due to the collective body heat of those seated close together. By around 1 p.m., there was no water available in the restroom. Eventually, only after a correctional officer brought a large water container from outside could the participants use the restroom. An official from Anyang Prison explained, "Due to the aging facilities, the water pressure from the communal tank is weak, so such situations occur frequently, especially in the rooms farthest from the tank. This is a common occurrence here." Conditions in the 4.13 square meter (about 1.2 pyeong) disciplinary punishment cell, used by 1 or 2 inmates, were even worse. The space was so cramped that two people could not lie down straight, and the walls were covered with calendars drawn by inmates themselves and phrases such as "A punishment room where time and mind stop..." The bigger problem was the stench. As soon as the door opened, a foul odor caused participants to gag. According to the correctional officer in charge, many inmates in the disciplinary punishment cells suffer from mental illnesses. It is not uncommon for inmates to defecate while seated and smear feces on the walls, so no matter how much the room is cleaned, the smell does not disappear.

A 4.13㎡ (approximately 1.2 pyeong) disciplinary punishment living room for 1 to 2 people. It is so cramped that two people cannot lie down straight, and the walls of the room are filled with calendars drawn by the inmates themselves and phrases such as "A punishment room where time and mind stop...". Ministry of Justice

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On this day, Minister Jeong conducted the "2nd Correctional Facility Field Inspection" at Anyang Prison. The purpose of this inspection was to check the outdated facilities and poor living conditions at Anyang Prison and to seek solutions for alleviating overcrowding and improving facilities.

Completed in 1963, Anyang Prison is the oldest correctional facility currently in use in South Korea. It is one of the representative correctional facilities facing significant risks due to severe overcrowding and aging infrastructure.

According to the Ministry of Justice on the 19th, as of the date of this report, Anyang Prison, which has an official capacity of 1,700 inmates, is currently housing 2,284 people. The occupancy rate is 134.4%. The nationwide average occupancy rate is also as high as 126.1%. There is also a shortage of staff. During night shifts, only 33 security staff members manage approximately 2,284 inmates. During the day, each staff member is responsible for 50 to 100 inmates. The Ministry of Justice states that, under these circumstances, it is virtually impossible for correctional and rehabilitative functions beyond simple "monitoring" to operate effectively.

The problem of aging facilities is also compounding the issue. Of the 89 buildings at Anyang Prison, 34 are classified as "Grade C" structures that require urgent repair or reinforcement. There are also safety concerns regarding cracks in the walls of the housing units and soil erosion.

The nationwide situation is not much different. Currently, there are a total of 58 correctional facilities in South Korea (39 prisons, 12 detention centers, 3 branch offices, and 1 private prison), employing 16,817 workers. The total official capacity is 50,614 (based on 2.58 square meters per person), but the actual population is 63,842, resulting in an occupancy rate of 126.1%.

The occupancy rate has been rising sharply. The nationwide occupancy rate, which was 104.3% in 2022, soared to 125.8% by the end of last year. As the number of inmates per facility increases, correctional incidents have also risen. The rate of correctional incidents per average daily population doubled from 1.6% in 2016 to 3.1% in 2024. In addition, there is a growing number of inmates requiring intensive management, such as those incarcerated for drug offenses, those with mental illnesses, and elderly inmates.

The Ministry of Justice has stated its intention to actively work to increase public understanding of correctional facilities and ensure that feedback from the field is faithfully reflected in policy. Minister Jeong said, "Through environmental improvements, effective correction and rehabilitation must be achieved within correctional facilities so that inmates have a greater chance of successfully reintegrating into society after release. Considering the social costs of ex-inmates becoming basic livelihood recipients or reoffending, this is a far more efficient choice."

He added, "I will do my best to enhance the effectiveness of correctional work by resolving overcrowding and improving facilities, and to help create a safer society for all."

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