As the wildfire in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province spread to Yeongdeok following Andong, Cheongsong, and Yeongyang, the Ministry of Justice's Correctional Headquarters completed preparations for the transfer of inmates at the North Gyeongsang Province Northern Prison (formerly Cheongsong Prison) on the 25th.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the Correctional Headquarters prepared to evacuate inmates from the North Gyeongsang Province Northern Prisons 1 to 3 and the North Gyeongsang Vocational Training Prison located in Cheongsong County by arranging vehicles starting from the afternoon. The number of inmates to be evacuated is estimated to be around 2,800. The inmates will be evacuated to 14 detention facilities under the Daegu Regional Correctional Office according to the Correctional Headquarters manual.
The Correctional Headquarters has also completed preparations for the transfer of inmates at Andong Prison located in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, as a precaution. The number of inmates at Andong Prison is about 700. However, it is reported that the fire has not yet spread to the vicinity of Andong Prison, so immediate transfer is not necessary.
According to legal circles, it is understood that cases of large-scale inmate transfers from correctional facilities due to natural disasters, like this one, are rare.
The wildfire that broke out in Sacheon-myeon, Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province on the 21st continues to spread for the fourth day. Cheongsong County stated in a safety notice around 5:44 p.m. on the same day, "As the wildfire spreads, all residents are urged to evacuate to safety away from the fire."