"Twelve inmates crammed into a five-person cell"... Prison occupancy rate hits 145%, drawing cold reactions: "Did they go there for a luxury hotel stay? There is no reason to accommodate them"

[Financial News] As Gwangju Prison is reportedly overcrowded, with 12 people housed in a five-person cell, online users have reacted by saying, "Is prison a place for criminals to enjoy conveniences?" and "They did not go there for a luxury hotel stay."

According to News 1 on the 11th, Park Kyung-seon, warden of Gwangju Prison, said, "The current inmate population is around 2,200–2,300, putting the occupancy rate at approximately 145%." He added, "It is the second-most overcrowded correctional facility in the country, after Seoul Detention Center."
Except for single-occupancy cells, 11 to 12 people are reportedly living together in cells designed for five.
Gwangju Prison serves as a prison for correcting and rehabilitating convicted inmates, while also functioning as a detention center for pretrial detainees who are still awaiting trial. Recently, the number of pretrial detainees exceeded 1,000, accounting for about 45% of the total inmate population. Because their sentences have not been finalized, they must be fully guaranteed their legal defense rights under the presumption of innocence, including preparation for trial, assistance from counsel, and communication with the outside world.
By contrast, convicted inmates must be prepared to return to society and prevent reoffending through academic and character education, family-relation restoration programs, psychological treatment, and vocational training.
The problem, Warden Park explained, is that the two facilities' different functions have become mixed together, making it difficult to provide either side with sufficient staff and space.
Warden Park said, "Employees who should be assigned to specialized psychological treatment, education and rehabilitation, or vocational training are sometimes sent to escort inmates to court." He added, "This inevitably limits the operation of specialized programs and reduces their effectiveness."
He continued, "Escorting inmates to court and other external proceedings is sensitive work because it requires consideration of the possibility of escape or accidents." He also expressed concern, saying, "The burden is also heavy on employees who perform these duties in addition to their regular work, squeezing them into their schedules." The facility has 506 uniformed correctional officers, along with alternative-service personnel, public-service workers, security guards, and kitchen staff.

Overcrowding is reportedly causing inconvenience not only for family members and acquaintances but also for meetings with attorneys.
Correctional authorities have identified the construction of a new Gwangju Detention Center dedicated to pretrial detainees as a solution. The Honam region currently has nine prisons, but none is dedicated to housing pretrial detainees. Of the country's 54 correctional facilities, 12 detention centers and three detention branches are distributed across the Seoul metropolitan area, the Yeongnam region, and the Chungcheong region, while the Honam region has none.
Warden Park projected that if about 1,000 pretrial detainees were separated into a detention center of their own, Gwangju Prison's occupancy rate would fall from the current 145% to around 100–110%. He emphasized, "Strengthening the prison's original function would ultimately help reduce repeat offenses and protect local residents from crime."
However, online users who encountered the news responded, "I oppose building a new detention center. Don't even dream of constructing one with taxpayers' money," and "Why should we care about criminals' discomfort? Pay more attention to psychological treatment for the victims instead."
[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter