{"id":7819,"date":"2026-10-10T07:18:22","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T07:18:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=7819"},"modified":"2026-10-10T07:18:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T07:18:22","slug":"in-korea-towns-compete-to-host-prisons-as-population-declines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=7819","title":{"rendered":"In Korea, towns compete to host prisons as population declines"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Yeongdeok<\/picture>
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Yeongdeok County Office in North Gyeongsang Province \/ Courtesy of Yeongdeok County<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Local governments across Korea are competing to host prisons, once widely regarded as undesirable facilities, as shrinking populations and struggling local economies prompt communities to seek new sources of jobs, residents and spending.<\/p>\n

Cheongsong and Yeongdeok counties in North Gyeongsang Province, Jecheon in North Chungcheong Province and Boeun County in the same province are among the municipalities that have entered the competition.<\/p>\n

According to the Ministry of Justice, Thursday, the government is seeking sites for four correctional facilities to address prison overcrowding and aging infrastructure. Each facility would accommodate 1,000 inmates and employ 250 permanent staff members, requiring at least 192,000 square meters of land.<\/p>\n

The four projects have a combined construction cost of 967.6 billion won ($680 million). They will be carried out as build-transfer-lease projects, under which private companies construct the facilities and transfer ownership to the government, which then pays rent for their use.<\/p>\n

Cheongsong is touting its experience as host to four correctional facilities \u2014 North Gyeongsang Province Prisons Nos. 1, 2 and 3 and the North Gyeongsang Vocational Training Prison \u2014 the largest concentration of such facilities in the country.<\/p>\n

The county hopes to complete what it calls a “correctional town,” building on more than 40 years of experience hosting prisons and strong acceptance among local residents.<\/p>\n

On Sept. 23, the Cheongsong County Council, an association of village leaders from Jinbo Township and local residents held a campaign in the township to support the bid.<\/p>\n

“Cheongsong has all the necessary conditions, including unused land within the existing correctional facilities that alone far exceeds the 190,000 square meters required by the Ministry of Justice,” Cheongsong County Mayor Yoon Kyung-hee said. “Building on Cheongsong’s strengths from 40 years of living alongside correctional facilities and the strong determination of our residents, we will make sure to bring another correctional facility here.”<\/p>\n

\"Cheongsong<\/picture>
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Cheongsong County Mayor Yoon Kyung-hee, center, local council officials and members of the Jinbo Township village leaders’ association campaign to attract a correctional facility in Jinbo Township, Cheongsong County, North Gyeongsang Province, Sept. 23. Courtesy of Cheongsong County<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Neighboring Yeongdeok County has also joined the competition, seeking balanced regional development and a new engine for economic growth.<\/p>\n

Four villages expressed interest after the county accepted applications from communities across all of its towns and townships from Sept. 21 through Oct. 1.<\/p>\n

Yeongdeok plans to narrow down the candidates based on factors including site suitability and accessibility. It is also considering providing additional funding over several years to the community ultimately selected.<\/p>\n

“We will proceed carefully, taking into account our own selection committee’s assessment, local conditions and balanced development between northern and southern Yeongdeok,” Yeongdeok County Mayor Cho Joo-hong said.<\/p>\n

Jecheon held a site selection committee meeting on Sept. 30 and chose Dohwa 1-ri in Songhak Township and Sangok 1 and 2 neighborhoods in Hwasan-dong as its final candidates from among the 16 communities that applied.<\/p>\n

A public opinion survey conducted in August showed 61.7 percent support among Jecheon residents.<\/p>\n

“We will carry out the bidding process transparently and fairly,” Jecheon Mayor Lee Sang-cheon said.<\/p>\n

Boeun County also received applications from 16 villages and selected three finalists on Wednesday. The county is conducting a signature campaign through Oct. 30 to broaden public support. It plans to provide 1 billion won in county funding to the village selected to host the facility.<\/p>\n

\"Residents<\/picture>
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Residents participate in a countywide signature campaign to support Boeun County’s bid to host a correctional facility in North Chungcheong Province. Courtesy of Boeun County<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Prisons have traditionally faced resistance from residents concerned about damage to their communities’ image and falling property values, often making it difficult to find sites for new facilities.<\/p>\n

But expectations are growing that correctional facilities could bring new permanent residents as prison employees and their families move into the area, increase spending by visitors coming to see inmates and boost purchases of locally produced agricultural goods and other products.<\/p>\n

“The economic impact of hosting a correctional facility is estimated at around 800 billion won,” Boeun County Mayor Choi Jae-hyeong said.<\/p>\n

\"Jecheon<\/picture>
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Jecheon Mayor Lee Sang-cheon explains the results of a public opinion survey on the city’s bid to host a correctional facility and outlines the next steps Wednesday. Courtesy of Jecheon City<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The justice ministry plans to equip the new facilities with artificial intelligence-based video analysis, intelligent surveillance systems and advanced access controls.<\/p>\n

Some areas, including parking lots, sports facilities and parks, will be opened to local residents. The ministry also plans to expand the hiring of local workers and purchases of locally produced goods.<\/p>\n

Applications to host the facilities are due Oct. 12, with detailed proposals due Nov. 4. The ministry will then evaluate factors including community acceptance, the availability of infrastructure, land use and accessibility before conducting site inspections and selecting the final locations in December.<\/p>\n

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Yeongdeok County Office in North Gyeongsang Province \/ Courtesy of Yeongdeok County Local governments across Korea are competing to host prisons, once widely regarded as undesirable facilities, as shrinking populations and struggling local economies prompt communities to seek new sources of jobs, residents and spending. Cheongsong and Yeongdeok counties in North Gyeongsang Province, Jecheon in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7820,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-korea","category-trending-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t