About 590 from 55 countries, Cheonan Prison faces a daily ‘interpretation war’···translation devices are essential, with crash language study too - 경향신문

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A cell for foreign inmates at Cheonan Prison, designated in February 2010 as a facility dedicated to foreign nationals; 6~8 people are housed in 4.8 pyeong (15.79㎡). Provided by the Ministry of Justice

On the 24th, as spring warmth set in, at Cheonan Prison in South Chungcheong Province. After passing through the large iron gate, inmates were exercising from 9:30 a.m. onward. They all wore the same color uniforms, but amid the Koreans were inmates of various nationalities. Across the yard, on the path toward the housing wing, a signboard hung in three languages. 'What is past cannot be undone, but the future can be changed' 'The past cannot be changed, The future is still in your power' '，' could be seen.

Opening another iron door and going up the stairs, there were 14 cells used only by convicted foreign inmates. Each room of about 4.8 pyeong (15.79㎡) had a capacity of five, but 6~8 were housed. Only one correctional officer manages an entire floor.

Cheonan Prison is the only correctional facility in the country dedicated exclusively to foreign inmates. Since it was designated as a dedicated facility in February 2010, the number of pretrial and convicted foreign inmates has steadily increased. Foreign inmates are also housed at Daejeon and Yeoju Prisons and at Cheongju Women's Prison, but Cheonan holds by far the most. As of the 20th, the total number of inmates at Cheonan Prison was about 1,510, exceeding its capacity (1,220) by 24%. Of these, foreign inmates from 55 countries numbered around 590. In 2017, there were foreign inmates from 35 countries, and over nine years, 20 more countries were added. They range from China, Thailand, and Vietnam to Kazakhstan and Equatorial Guinea. By nationality, the largest groups are China 117, Thailand 104, and Vietnam 55.

On the 24th, signs in English and Chinese bearing the message ‘Though the past cannot be undone, the future can be changed’ hung from the ceiling along the path to the foreign-inmate housing wing at Cheonan Prison in South Chungcheong Province. Provided by the Ministry of Justice

With inmates from 55 countries, it is a daily ‘interpretation war’. Seo Young-jun, head of the rapid patrol team who can converse in English, said, “As foreigners of diverse nationalities arrive, it is a concern that conversation cannot be conducted in English alone.” These days, Seo uses a translation device linked to his radio almost as often as his mobile phone. Because multiple nationalities mix, there are inmates who speak a third language even if it is not their mother tongue, and they sometimes help, he said. Yoo Sang-hyun, a correctional officer in the International Cooperation Division, said that while recently overseeing an Iranian inmate, he did “cramming Persian.” He added, “When we use their own language, they seem to open up more, so I at least try to offer a greeting.”

At the International Cooperation Division, which exists only at Cheonan Prison nationwide, duties include contacting embassies, handling international transfer applications, educating and counseling foreign inmates, and providing translation and interpreting support. Thirteen staff members who majored in five languagesChinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Russian, and Spanishwork here. The inmate life guide has been expanded to include languages such as English, Mongolian, Cambodian, and Filipino, and is provided as a booklet.

Managing food is also one of the main duties, as varied as the nationalities. On the doors of the 14 cells the Kyunghyang Shinmun visited that day, the inmates’ menus were posted. The notation ‘양 2’ means that, of eight inmates, two eat Western food. Here there are three menus: Korean (for Koreans), Western (for foreigners), and Islamic (for Muslims).

Managing the recent increase in drug offenders is another focus. According to the Ministry of Justice, in 2016 drug offenders among foreign convicts numbered 149, fewer than homicide (248) and fraud/embezzlement (203). However, as of last year, drug offenders among foreign convicts numbered 1,013, the highest among major serious crimes. In fact, among the 14 cells observed that day, there was not a single room without drug offenders. In each cell of 6~8 inmates, 2~3 were drug offenders. Officer Yoo said, “Foreign drug crimes are often organized, and they fear retaliation in their home country after release, so they may follow the lead of a stronger inmate of the same nationality. When foreign inmates who do not speak Korean fail to understand staff instructions and misunderstandings are added on top of that, management becomes even harder.”

The menu marker posted outside a cell: ‘양 2’ means two inmates eat Western food. A blue marker indicates there are drug offenders housed there. Provided by the Ministry of Justice

As drug offenders of new nationalities increase, the workload on officers has grown. About 330 people work across nine divisions, and about 220 work in the Security Division that directly manages inmates. On the night shift, 28 officers are assigned, and each must oversee about 50 inmates. In particular, the night-shift team leader (Grade 6) must manage all staff and inmates, they say. Correctional officers said, “Improved treatment that reflects job risks and other factors is needed.”

At night, night-shift officers also have to calm inmates who press the emergency bell every 20~30 minutes, saying they want to return to their home country. Because of this, Officer Yoo said he once suffered trauma to the point that even the sound of the emergency bell made his heart pound. It was rewarding, he said, when he heard through an embassy that a younger sibling in Iranwhere war had recently broken outhad sent regards, and he conveyed this to the imate. Yoo said, “I felt proud that there was something we could help with via an embassy.”

Somali pirates who hijacked the Samho Jewelry and were captured by South Korean forces also passed through Cheonan Prison. Kim Kyung-joon, a former BBK head of U.S. nationality and the main culprit in the ‘BBK stock-manipulation case’, served an eight-year term here and was released upon completion in March 2017. Arthur Patterson, an American whose 20-year sentence for the Itaewon murder case was finalized by the Supreme Court in 2017, is currently serving his sentence here.

Seo Young-jun, head of the rapid patrol team (left), and correctional officer Yoo Sang-hyun of the International Cooperation Division. Provided by the Ministry of Justice