Cancellation of 1.2 Billion Won AC Project for Prisons Amid Public Backlash Sparks Concerns Over Prison Staff Safety

Amid record-breaking heat waves with temperatures hovering around 40°C (104°F), the Ministry of Justice has temporarily suspended a project to reinforce air conditioning facilities in correctional institutions, which was scheduled to be carried out this year with a budget of 1.2 billion won.

The decision came in response to fierce public criticism questioning why taxpayer money should be used to install air conditioners for criminals, but critics point out that the working conditions for correctional officers on site 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 hallways of medical wards housing patients, with most cells relying on electric fans. To prevent heat-related illness, correctional authorities pursued the project using an indirect cooling method by installing air conditioners in the hallways of the inmate 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 AC units should be installed in the homes of elderly people living alone before criminals, ultimately leading to the suspension of the air conditioning reinforcement project.

However, as the historic heat wave continues—with indoor temperatures inside cells at the Seoul Detention Center reaching 33°C (91°F) on the 5th [August 5] and another correctional facility in the capital area soaring to 37°C (99°F)—critics point out that the fallout is also hitting correctional officers working at these facilities.

With the sweltering heat driving up inmates' irritation levels, disputes among inmates are becoming more frequent, and instances of inmates repeatedly calling correctional officers for no meaningful reason are also on the rise.

Rule violations by inmates have increased 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, assaults committed by inmates against correctional officers skyrocketed more than fourfold, from 157 cases in 2016 to 629 cases last year.

Minister of Justice Jung Sungho mentioned yesterday [August 6], "The President expressed deep concern over the severe overcrowding and the suffering experienced by correctional officers, and we discussed countermeasures."

(Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Hong Jinyoung | Graphics by Yang Hyemin | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.