[WEEKENDER] Inside Korea's only prison tasked with handling foreign inmates

Nestled roughly a 30-minute drive from Cheonan-Asan Station lies a secluded and seldom-visited location. Upon arriving, visitors must relinquish all electronic devices and pass through a rigorous security check before embarking on a journey through a labyrinthine structure, eventually passing through seven or eight impenetrable steel doors to enter Cheonan Correctional Institution, the sole prison in Korea dedicated to housing foreign inmates.

The prison was designated in 2010 as the world's first correctional facility for foreign nationals, following a surge in their numbers and criminal activities in the country during the 2000s.

As of August, the facility accommodates approximately 500 inmates from 51 countries, alongside around 920 Korean nationals. Due to overcrowding, foreign nationals are sometimes housed in other prisons such as Daejeon and Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province. However, Cheonan Correctional Institution remains the primary facility specifically designated to manage them, complete with an International Affairs division.

Approximately ten staff members stationed at the prison are fluent in a variety of languages, including English, Chinese, Russian, Thai, Mongolian, and Arabic. Their linguistic abilities prove invaluable in assisting inmates with personal concerns and ensuring effective communication.