First Suspension of Sentence Execution and Release of Detainee in Detention Center Due to COVID-19 Infection Concerns

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The first case of an inmate being released from a detention center due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has occurred.

According to the legal community on the 26th, the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office decided on the suspension of sentence execution for inmate A, who was incarcerated at Daegu Detention Center under the Daegu Regional Correctional Office, on the 22nd and released him. Suspension of sentence execution is a disposition to halt the execution of a sentence under the direction of a prosecutor when continuing the execution is deemed harsh from a humanitarian perspective.

Inmate A, serving time for theft, injured his ankle and visited an external hospital for treatment, where he became subject to quarantine. It was reported that a nurse working at the hospital he visited tested positive for COVID-19, prompting correctional authorities to decide on the suspension of sentence execution for A due to concerns about infection among detainees at the detention center.

During the suspension of sentence execution, A's residence is restricted to the home where his family resides. Correctional authorities plan to monitor A's health and the COVID-19 transmission situation for about a month before deciding whether to extend the suspension.

Additionally, the Ministry of Justice reportedly sent a work notice to regional correctional offices nationwide the previous day to identify whether any correctional facility staff or their families are members of Shincheonji. This preemptive measure was taken to prevent further infections within correctional facilities after a correctional officer who is a Shincheonji member working at the Northern Gyeongbuk Second Prison tested positive for COVID-19 the day before.