Jailers Prohibited from Monitoring Conversations

Prison guards are likely to be prohibited from attending and writing down conversations between prisoners and their visitors from the second half of 1999.
The inspection by jailors of letters to and from inmates in the prison would also be strictly limited apart from in exceptional circumstances.
The Ministry of Justice announced on June 7 that it has decided to revise certain criminal laws. The Ministry will place the rules into effect as soon as they are passed in the National Assembly.
According to the revised rules, the governor of a prison can allow his men to monitor dialogues between prisoners and visitors only in the event that he judges it necessary to maintain the security of the prison.
Inmates can write books as long as they do not threaten the security and order of the jail. They can also directly ask the Justice Minister to consider their complaints if they feel they have been badly treated in prison.
The Ministry also decided to give prisoners a temporary pass to leave prison if their parents die or children get married - regardless of the period of their imprisonment.

Jangsoo Seo:jsbee@joongang.co.kr