"Air Conditioning for Criminals?" 1.2 Billion Won Plan Canceled Amid Public Outlash, Sparking Concerns Over Guards' Working Conditions

Amid record-breaking heatwaves with temperatures hovering around 40°C, the Ministry of Justice has temporarily suspended a project to reinforce air conditioning facilities in correctional institutions, which was scheduled to be carried out with a budget of 1.2 billion won this year.

The decision came in response to fierce public criticism questioning why citizens' tax money should be used to install air conditioners for criminals, but critics point out that the working conditions of frontline correctional officers have also reached their limits.

Previously, the Ministry of Justice planned to expand the installation of air conditioners in housing units where vulnerable inmates, such as the elderly, disabled, and sick, reside.

Currently, air conditioners within correctional facilities are limited to the corridors of inmate medical wards, and most cells rely on electric fans. To prevent heat-related damage, correctional authorities pursued the project using an indirect cooling method by installing air conditioners in the corridors of housing units.

Some female inmate housing units in severely overcrowded institutions were also included in the project.

Online communities were subsequently flooded with opposing opinions, such as asking whether it is appropriate to install air conditioning in prisons and arguing that air conditioners should be installed in the homes of elderly people living alone before criminals, ultimately leading to the suspension of the cooling facility reinforcement project.

However, as record-breaking heatwaves continue—with the indoor temperature of cells at the Seoul Detention Center reaching 33°C on the 5th and another correctional facility in the capital area soaring up to 37°C—critics note that the fallout is also hitting the correctional officers working at those facilities.

As the scorching heat drives up inmates' irritation levels, disputes among inmates are becoming more frequent, and cases of inmates repeatedly and meaninglessly calling correctional officers are also increasing.

Inmate disciplinary violations are growing every year, with the total number of disciplinary actions imposed on inmates reaching approximately 34,500 cases last year, an increase of over 8% compared to the previous year.

In particular, assault cases committed by inmates against correctional officials skyrocketed more than fourfold, from 157 cases in 2016 to 629 cases last year.

Minister of Justice Jung Sungho mentioned yesterday, "The President expressed deep concern over the severe overcrowding and the suffering experienced by correctional officials, and we discussed countermeasures."

Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Hong Jin-young | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.