A proposal was made to convert the Korea Correctional Service under the Ministry of Justice into an independent external agency and establish a "Correctional Administration."
On the 10th, according to legal sources, the Ministry of Justice held a policy forum at the National Assembly with Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers Jung Sung-ho, Kang Deuk-gu, and Chae Hyun-il under the theme "Direction of restructuring the justice organization following the introduction of the Government Organization Act amendment."
Earlier, the Public Administration and Security Committee of the National Assembly introduced an amendment to the Government Organization Act centered on establishing the Correctional Administration last month.
Participants in the forum agreed that a Correctional Administration should be established to ease chronic overcrowding and respond to the surge in high-risk inmates, including drug offenders and people with mental illnesses.
Chae said, "The completion of criminal justice reform lies in advancing correctional administration that helps inmates return to society," adding, "The current Korea Correctional Service is organized as a single unit within the Ministry of Justice and is insufficient to handle the vast workload."
Chae then asked Acting Minister Lee Jin-su whether the ministry could pursue elevating the body to a Correctional Administration to advance corrections. Chae had led the introduction of the Government Organization Act amendment in March.
Acting chief Lee said, "We will actively push measures to advance correctional administration, including establishing a Correctional Administration, converting positions to the special service, and then expanding the ratio of senior officials, so that correctional officers can work with pride and confidence going forward."
Jung, a former Minister of the Ministry of Justice, said, "We must establish professional and systematic correctional administration."
The Ministry of Justice said it would closely review the opinions of the National Assembly, academia, and on-site experts proposed at the forum and actively reflect them in future plans to develop the justice organization.