A delegation of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) visited the Daejeon Correctional Unit on July 26 as part of its on-site visitation program for human rights promotion. Officials including Chairperson Young-hoang Cho and Standing Commissioner Ho-jun Kim ascertained the status of detention facilities and heard the grievances of corrections officers.
Chairperson Young-hoang Cho and Standing Commissioner Ho-jun Kim kicked off their visitation schedule by laying a wreath of flowers and burning incense in front of a monument to the memory of the late Dong-min Kim, a corrections officer who had been beaten to death by inmates. Then, the visitors from the Commission reviewed whether training for inmates" resocialization was being conducted properly by visiting an informatization trainee building and an automobile parts factory in the prison. They also inspected the punishment building, infirmary, and health & medical service department, and examined an interview room for inmate" s family members or lawyers.
After inspecting the facilities in the correctional institution, the visiting officials had a meeting with the head of the Daejeon Correctional Unit as well as its corrections officers regarding the difficulties they had been encountering in their duties. For more effective handling of in-person complaints, corrections officers proposed establishment of a standing meeting for exchange of opinions with the Commission as well as full-time stationing of staff of the Commission in the correctional facilities. In addition, they opined that even an appeal system should be set up for cases dismissed or rejected under the National Human Rights Commission Act. They also argued that a system allowing even complainees to request appeals was required. Finally, they declared it equally important to have an accurate understanding of the human rights and working conditions of corrections staff as to promote inmates" human rights. They expressed determination to strive with great pride as corrections officers to protect inmates" human rights and provide humanitarian correctional treatment to them.
Chairperson Young-hoang Cho offered strong praise to the corrections officers for their strenuous efforts. Then, he encouraged them to carry out their duties with pride and dignity, saying that he had come to the meeting specifically to gain a true understanding of the difficulties which corrections officers experience.
