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Changwon to get new correctional facility after decades of delay

Published: 06 May. 2025, 21:45

A bird's-eye view of the current Changwon Prison in South Gyeongsang [REP. YOON HAN-HONG]

Construction of a new correctional facility in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, will finally begin on Monday — marking a major step forward in a project residents have awaited for nearly 40 years.

Locals have long pushed for the relocation of the current prison, which they say has hindered regional development. The move is also expected to ease severe overcrowding at the existing facility, which ranks third among the most densely packed in the country.

According to documents People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Yoon Han-hong obtained from the Ministry of Justice, the ministry has finalized contracts for construction and project management, with groundbreaking scheduled for next Monday. A public briefing for residents is set for May 23.

The new Changwon Prison will be built in Masanhoewon District — roughly 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the current facility in Hoeseong-dong. The site is in an outlying area, away from the city center. The new prison will cover 238,278 square meters (58 acres), with a total floor area of 44,614 square meters across one basement level and four above-ground floors.

The front gate of Changwon Prison in South Gyeongsang [NEWS1]

The facility is slated for completion in November 2029, with the total project budget — including design, construction, oversight and land compensation — set at 235.6 billion won ($169.7 million).

The current Changwon Prison originally opened in 1970, when it was relocated from the Bank of Korea site in Odong-dong, then part of the city of Masan, which is now integrated into Changwon. At the time, Hoeseong-dong was considered a suburban area. However, as the city grew, the prison became surrounded by expanding urban development — leading to increased complaints from residents, who viewed the facility as an obstacle to growth. Calls for relocation date back to the 1980s.

Despite the longstanding demands, relocation efforts stalled repeatedly. Masan signed a memorandum of understanding with the Justice Ministry in 2004, and the plan was incorporated into its urban management strategy by 2006. A 2009 agreement between the city and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation aimed to develop the site into a hub of residential, commercial and legal infrastructure.

However, the plan was derailed by budget concerns and profitability issues. It wasn’t until 2014 when the project was designated as a state-funded initiative that momentum returned.

Then, the Ministry of Environment raised objections in 2018, citing the site’s proximity to a designated nature conservation area. Negotiations stalled again, effectively freezing progress.

In 2019, the National Urban Planning Committee under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approved a plan to relocate the prison, but delays continued during the subsequent process of revising the urban development plan.

Even in 2024, the project failed to move forward. Although the Justice Ministry selected a construction firm and aimed to break ground in November, budget shortages led to two failed tenders for construction supervision, causing further delays.

An infographic created by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea in January 2022 highlights overcrowding in correctional facilities, based on real cases submitted by petitioners. [NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION]

The new facility will be able to accommodate 1,500 inmates — 440 more than the current capacity of 1,060. Whether this will alleviate overcrowding remains to be seen, but expectations are high, as the existing Changwon Prison has one of the highest inmate density rates in the country.

According to data obtained by PPP Rep. Song Seog-jun from the Ministry of Justice last year, the prison housed 1,529 inmates as of August — exceeding its official capacity by 469. Its occupancy rate stood at 144.2 percent, the third-highest among Korea’s 55 correctional facilities, following Suwon Detention Center, which was at 150.8 percent, and Seoul Detention Center at 147.4 percent.

Overcrowding has been cited as a key factor in conflict among inmates and correctional facility management issues.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY AN DAE-HUN [[email protected]]