Immigration Detention Centers in S.Korea in violation of law regulations
A JCMK information disclosure request has revealed that a number of detention centers are overpopulated and have engaged in unlawful prolonged detention periods
» The interior view of an Immigration Detention Center in South Korea.
It has been confirmed that a number of Immigration Detention Centers in South Korea have violated the law governing their duties. Some detention centers have prolonged the detention period for those being held, while others have confined more than the appropriate number of individuals, resulting in overpopulation.

The Joint Committee with Migrants in Korea (JCMK) released the information that they obtained following an information disclosure request detailing the detention situation of 15 detention centers in South Korea over 2006 to 2009 on Feb. 8. According to the report, Yeosu Detention Center had confined 566 individuals for over 15 days, which represents over 30 percent of the total number of individuals in 2009. Moreover, 49 individuals were detained for over two months. The law governing detention centers stipulates that detention centers may not confine a person for over 10 days and may only extend the period once if there is an unavoidable reason.

The report also revealed that overpopulation at the detention centers occurred frequently among centers located in the capital region. The Seoul Detention Center confined 18,153 individuals last year (an average of 49 individuals housed per day). The Incheon Detention Center confined 84.5 individuals per day. The Justice Ministry recommends 45 and 73 respectively as a proper number of individuals to be detained at those facilities.

Lee Young, a senior official of JCMK, said the information shows that the foreigners who had been detained would become the subject of human right violations due to overpopulation and extended periods of detention.