| An inmate at the Dongbu Detention Center in southeastern Seoul holds up a piece of paper, which reads "Incompetent justice ministry, incompetent president," Wednesday, amid growing criticism against the government to its failure to prevent mass infections there. / Yonhap |
By Jun Ji-hye
Four inmates who were infected with COVID-19 at the Dongbu Detention Center in southeastern Seoul have filed a damage suit against the government, claiming that its bungled management of correctional facilities amid the prolonged pandemic has resulted in the mass infections there.
In their lawsuit submitted to the Seoul Central District Court, the four demanded compensation of 10 million won ($9,200) each.
The detention center has emerged as one of the biggest COVID-19 hot spots in Korea, having reported more than 1,100 infection cases ― including former and current inmates and correctional officers ― and two deaths, since the first virus case was confirmed there on Nov. 27.
Kwak Joon-ho, the lawyer for the plaintiffs, said Thursday the Ministry of Justice had failed to quickly isolate those who had direct contact with virus patients, and had not provided face masks for inmates even after the first virus case was confirmed.
"Families of the inmates have worried a lot," Kwak said, noting that additional lawsuits could follow in accordance with the development of the situation.
The justice ministry has been criticized for its failure to prevent the spread of the virus at the detention center, with public anger rising after reports that it took three weeks for virus testing of all inmates and employees to take place after the first case was confirmed.
The ministry also acknowledged that it had failed to isolate patients and those who had direct contact with them at the early stages due to space shortages. This resulted in mass infections.
A ministry official acknowledged the mishandling due to a shortage of cells and said, "We are all truly sorry about the continued increase in the number of infections at the detention center."
Infections have also appeared to be spreading at correctional facilities to which the Dongbu center's inmates were transferred, including prisons in Gangwon Province. The prisons in southern and northern Gangwon Province, which received some 400 inmates from the Dongbu center, have reported more than 20 new cases.
Amid growing criticism, the ministry announced several countermeasures, Wednesday, to slow down the rapid spread of infections and prevent another mass outbreak.
The measures include carrying out antigen tests on correctional officers across the country every week and giving each inmate a new KF94 mask on a daily basis.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the country added 870 more infections for Wednesday including 833 locally transmitted cases, raising the total caseload to 66,686.
The daily infections were up from the 840 identified on Tuesday, but stayed below 1,000 for the third consecutive day.
The death toll rose to 1,046 with 19 more deaths.