A Detention Center in Busan. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean prisoners who typically work in a variety of prison-support jobs will now be subject to the government’s recent 52-hour workweek initiative.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Justice released an advance legislation notice for a revision of the law on the execution of sentences and the treatment of inmates.
Under the new legislation, the maximum work hours of inmates will be limited to 52 hours per week. At an inmate’s request, the maximum work hours can be extended by up to 10 additional hours.
Inmates, in principle, should be exempted from work on holidays or weekends. This principle, however, has an exception, including cases in which inmates request to work or if it is inevitable for the operation of the workplace.
Previously, if inmates were injured during work or job training activities, they received the compensation when they were released from prison.
This rule, however, will be revised towards providing the compensation at any point in time, including while they are incarcerated.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
