Guard sees prison inmate jump to his death
A Suncheon prison inmate died after jumping off a three-story building this week. / Korea Times file
By Ko Dong-hwan
A guard watched as a prisoner jumped to his death from a prison building this week, raising questions about security.
The man, 48, was 10 years into his sentence at a Suncheon prison in South Jeolla Province. He jumped from the roof of a three-story factory inside the prison.
The guard spotted the man and followed him to the rooftop, where he saw the inmate climb over a 2.5-meter-high metal fence. Ignoring the guard's warning, the inmate flung himself 10 meters to the ground.
The prisoner was taken to a local hospital but died an hour later.
He left a suicide letter. In it, he apologized to his family and said he hoped his death would not cause the prison warden problems.
The inmate's death was reported to the Suncheon branch of the Gwangju District Prosecutor's Office. The authority said it will conduct an autopsy.
The prison said there were no reports of assault or abuse that could be linked to the latest suicide in the prison.
Prosecutors said prison guards could have prevented the death. They will investigate whether there are problems with the prison's monitoring of inmates.