Amid controversy over a rendering circulating online that was said to be for a planned women's prison, the Ministry of Justice said the rendering is not the actual adopted plan.
Recently, several blueprint photos were posted online under the title "Hwaseong Women's Prison rendering."
The rendering was posted on the website by the architect designing the prison. The images evoke a resort or a university campus.
Along with the rendering, the project name was listed as Wayu (花柔), and it said it emphasized "warmth like a mother's embrace" and "architecture applying the curves of hanbok."
Internet users who saw the photos criticized them, saying, "It's a hotel to the point you'd say, 'It's better than our house,'" and "It's not like they're encouraging people to commit crimes—this is a waste of taxes." Others evaluated, "Improving the exterior seems like a measure for residents living near the prison," and "Given that prisons are imprinted on the public as nuisance facilities, it seems they presented such a rendering."
Amid the controversy, the post has now been deleted from the website.
On the 30th, according to Donga.com, the Ministry of Justice said the rendering shared online is not the actual rendering of the Hwaseong Women's Prison to be built. It added that it was produced by an architecture firm during the bidding stage 6–7 years ago and was not the plan that was actually adopted.
As the number of inmates in correctional facilities surged, the Ministry of Justice earlier announced a plan to build three new correctional facilities by 2030: Hwaseong Women's Prison, Gyeonggi Northern Detention Center, and Namwon Prison.