Behind bars in Cheonan, foreign inmate weighs past and future
Summary
Joe, a foreign inmate at Cheonan Correctional Institution in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, is serving an 18-month sentence for causing a car accident. He says prison has become a place to reflect on his past and future, while he studies English, religion, Korean culture and spends time on drawing and letter-writing. He also said he wants to return to college, work and help his family after release.
Key Facts
- Cheonan Correctional Institution is Korea’s only prison tasked with handling foreign inmates.
- Joe said he entered prison last August after causing a car accident while out with friends.
- He wakes up at 6 a.m., follows a strict inspection-based routine, and communicates with cellmates from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia in a mix of Korean and English.
- Joe said video calls with his family through a tablet are normally available twice a week, though the schedule can change depending on bookings.
- He said he still wants to live in Korea, but he is not sure that will happen after release.
A foreign inmate, who was sentenced to 18 months and is currently serving his term at Cheonan Correctional Institution, poses at the institution in South Chungcheong Province, Aug. 6. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Editor’s note
This is the final installment of a three-part series exploring Cheonan Correctional Institution, the Korean prison with the largest known foreign inmate population and the only jail facility with a dedicated international affairs division.
CHEONAN, South Chungcheong Province — Joe, identified by a pseudonym, is serving an 18-month sentence at Cheonan Correctional Institution, Korea's only prison tasked with handling foreign inmates. His name, age and nationality are being withheld at his request.
“I caused a car accident while out with friends and entered prison last August,” Joe told The Korea Times. “I'm very sorry to my parents and the victim, who suffered great pain and harm because of me.”
Inside the prison, his days follow a strict routine. He wakes up at 6 a.m., prepares for inspection, eats breakfast and waits for the next inspection. He spends his time studying English and religion, drawing and writing letters to friends.
“At first it was hard to adjust, but the correctional officers helped a lot, so I haven't had any difficulties. I'm also adjusting to the culture here. Before coming to prison, I was too busy working to pick much up, but now I've been attending a prison program called 'Good Morning Korea,' learning about Korean culture.”
Culture is one thing, but sharing a cell with strangers is another. Communication isn't easy with cellmates from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia. He speaks with them in a mix of Korean and English. If someone in the room speaks Korean well, that person acts as an interpreter for the room.
Still, no one in the cell can replace what he misses most: his family, all of whom are in Korea.
There is a visitation system that lets him speak with his family by video call through a tablet screen. It is normally available twice a week, though that can drop to once a week or rise to three times depending on how many other inmates have booked a slot.
The distance from his family has given him time to think. For Joe, prison has become a place to reflect on both the past and the future.
“I've come to look back on my life here, and I've thought a lot about how I should live going forward. I hope no one gets hurt because of me again. When I get out, I want to go back to college, work and help my family.”
Before going to prison, he went to school and worked part-time jobs with no real plan and gave little thought to his future. That has changed.
“I now know what I need to do and what's good for me. I still want to keep living in Korea, but I'm not sure that will happen.”
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