As the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America kicks off, the nation is buzzing with fight songs and broadcast schedules. Then can inmates in prisons and detention centers, cut off from society, watch the World Cup?
In short, it is unlikely. On the 12th, an official at the Ministry of Justice said, "There are no plans to air recorded broadcasts of Korea's World Cup matches at this time." That means even the Czech Republic match at 11 a.m., when Korea's national soccer team plays its first game of the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America, will not be viewable in prisons and detention centers nationwide.
In fact, the broadcast schedule released by the correctional authorities shows that from 9:30 a.m. to noon, four terrestrial channels—KBS1, MBC, SBS, and EBS1—are set to air, but the Czech Republic match is not on the schedule. This applies uniformly to correctional facilities nationwide, including the Seoul Detention Center where former President Yoon Suk-yeol is held.
There are exceptions. If Korea advances to the round of 16 or public interest and attention grows, scheduling the broadcasts could be considered, according to the Ministry of Justice.
◇ 2006 Germany World Cup allowed live broadcasts of early morning matches
Under current rules, inmates in correctional facilities can watch TV. Article 48 of the Act on the Execution of Sentences and the Treatment of Inmates (Execution of Sentences Act) states that inmates may listen to the radio or watch TV for emotional stability and to acquire culture and knowledge.
They cannot freely choose and watch any channel they want. The enforcement rules of the Execution of Sentences Act provide that the head of a correctional facility may set broadcasting hours within six hours a day. During that time, inmates may watch recorded programs or live broadcasts. Allowed programming must be educational, reformative, cultural, or entertainment content. Sports broadcasts such as the World Cup fall under entertainment.
Ultimately, whether inmates in correctional facilities can watch Korea's World Cup matches depends on whether the Ministry of Justice and the facilities schedule those games as special broadcasts.
There is precedent for special live World Cup programming. The 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup is a prime example. Given that it was hosted by the home countries, inmates were able to watch key matches live. Most games took place during the day or evening, making viewing possible during activity hours.
For the 2006 Germany World Cup, the Ministry of Justice allowed all matches to be watched live in the name of national unity. TVs installed in each room were made available for viewing, and inmates who did not want to watch soccer were provided separate sleeping areas. In later World Cups, only some matches were aired live, while late-night games were recorded and broadcast the following day.
◇ Some even sue over not being able to watch TV
TV viewing inside correctional facilities is a concern not only for inmates but also for their families. In a so-called "Inside" cafe, a nickname for online communities of inmates' families or partners, people edit and share the weekly broadcast schedules posted by the Korea Correctional Service of the Ministry of Justice to make them easier to read. Companies that provide letter-writing services for inmates sometimes include the broadcast schedule for free with letters.
Some view TV access as a treatment issue. Jang Dae-ho, who received a life sentence in the so-called "Han River torso case," filed an administrative suit claiming the prison restricted TV viewing.
After incarceration, Jang received six disciplinary actions for assaulting and verbally abusing prison staff and was designated an inmate with violent tendencies. At the prison to which Jang was transferred, he was held in a room without a TV. Jang filed suit claiming the measures were unlawful, but the court did not accept his claim.
The court said, "There is a concern that Jang could fight with other inmates, and it is recognized that he is ill-suited for communal living, so the preventive measures can be seen as rational," adding, "It is difficult to view the prison's measures as excessively infringing on Jang's basic rights."