A South Korean appeals court has reversed a lower court’s decision that had awarded compensation to an inmate who sued the government over cramped prison conditions, the Gwangju District Court (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean appeals court has reversed a lower court’s decision that had awarded compensation to an inmate who sued the government over cramped prison conditions, the Gwangju District Court announced on February 4.
The civil division of the court, presided over by Judge Lee Heung-kwon, overturned the initial ruling that had partially favored the plaintiff, identified only as “A,” in his compensation claim against the state.
The case stemmed from A’s 2021 lawsuit seeking damages for mental distress, claiming his human dignity was violated due to prolonged confinement in overcrowded communal cells during his imprisonment.
The lower court had ordered the government to pay 400,000 won in compensation, acknowledging that A was held for 40 days in a communal cell where each inmate had less than 2 square meters of space.
However, the appeals court took a different view, considering the exceptional circumstances of the time. While acknowledging the space constraints, the court noted that the Gwangju Correctional Facility was operating at over 120% capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the facility faced challenges in isolating infected inmates and close contacts.
The plaintiff has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
