Cheonan Correctional Institution in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, is Korea’s only prison mainly tasked with handling foreign inmates. As of August, it houses about 500 foreign inmates from 51 countries alongside some 920 Korean nationals. The prison provides multilingual support, separate meal menus, and religious accommodations for inmates of different faiths. It also runs work programs, language classes, and embassy support through an International Affairs division.
A hallway of cells at Cheonan Correctional Institution in South Chungcheong Province, Aug. 6 / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
This is the first of a three-part series exploring Cheonan Correctional Institution, the Korean prison with the largest known foreign inmate population and the only jail facility with a dedicated international affairs division.
CHEONAN, South Chungcheong Province — A roughly 30-minute drive from Cheonan-Asan Station leads to a remote, little-visited area.
After surrendering all electronic devices and passing through a security check, visitors navigate a maze-like building and pass through seven or eight heavy steel doors to step inside Cheonan Correctional Institution, Korea's only prison tasked with handling foreign inmates.
