It is pointed out that the Ministry of Justice virtually neglected the quarantine-related budget in the process of deliberation by the National Assembly of the budget for 2021 last year. Previously, the Ministry of Justice released a data on the 29th of last month and released a data on the 29th of last month as the media reports that masks were not properly provided in relation to the spread of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in correction facilities nationwide centered on the Eastern Detention Center. ) There was a difficulty in paying the prisoners.” However, during the budget review process, the Ministry of Justice only requested an increase in the budget of billions of won due to the adjustment of the prosecutor’s and police investigation rights, and did not even discuss the budget for COVID-19 quarantine or mask supply and demand measures. It is interpreted that there was no willingness to increase the quarantine-related budget.
Do not request an increase in the quarantine budget during the National Assembly budget review
Focused on increasing the budget to adjust the investigative power
In the afternoon of the 5th, a prisoner wearing a mask (top left) is looking out the window at the Seoul Eastern Detention Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul. On that day, the Dongbu Detention Center conducted a sixth total survey of 530 employees and 338 prisoners. yunhap news
Investigation right adjustment budget increase… The quarantine budget remains the same as the government draft
According to the National Assembly and related ministries on the 5th, the Ministry of Justice did not request an increase in the quarantine-related budget such as masks during the budget review process. In the minutes of the conciliation subcommittee such as the Special Committee on Budget and Accounting of the National Assembly and the budget bill over six times, there is no mention of quarantine in correctional facilities such as the supply of masks. Naturally, the quarantine product purchase budget of 725 million won passed the National Assembly plenary session as it was on December 2 of last year.
Instead, the Ministry of Justice focused on increasing the budget for modernization of correctional facilities related to the adjustment of investigative powers. As a result, it increased 560 million won compared to the original government draft. In the first place, the size of the request for an increase by the Ministry of Justice was much larger. Lee Young-hee, head of the correctional headquarters of the Ministry of Justice, attended the budget review subcommittee of the National Assembly Legislative Judiciary Committee on November 11 last year and requested an increase of 5,633 million won in the budget necessary for the expansion and modernization of the reception room in the correctional facility. The reason was that if the proposal to adjust the prosecutor’s and police’s right to investigate is implemented from January this year, the number of interviews by the police for official affairs will increase significantly.
These requests from the Ministry of Justice were fully reflected in the judiciary committee. However, as it passed to the National Assembly Preliminary Committee, the amount of the increase was reduced. An official at the correctional headquarters said, “It was accepted that it would not be appropriate to expand the reception room of all correctional facilities without implementing the adjustment plan for prosecutors and policemen. It only increased,” he explained.
Dongbu Detention Center Busy (Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Suh Seong-gon = A person in protective clothing is busy moving at the Eastern Detention Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 5th, when the 6th full investigation of the Eastern Detention Center is scheduled. 2021.1.5 [email protected] (End) 〈Copyright (c) Yonhap News, Unauthorized Reprint-Redistribution Prohibited〉
Correction facility mask budget is only 500 million won
It is pointed out that the Ministry of Justice has missed the opportunity to increase the related budget due to the easy response to quarantine. In particular, the time when the budget proposal passed through the preliminary examination by the Judiciary Committee and passed to the preliminary committee was when the number of confirmed patients in Gwangju Prison and Seoul Eastern Detention Center increased sharply since mid-November last year. From November 30 last year, KF80 masks were distributed to new prisoners, but it was a time when existing prisoners were allowed to purchase only individual purchases due to lack of budget.
According to the data released by the Justice Party’s Office of Congressman Hye-young Jang, the budget to purchase a quarantine mask, excluding gloves and hand sanitizers, was 51072 million won. Even that, it was intended to provide a dental mask worth 400 won to 52,300 inmates, eight per month for three months.
Professor Yoon Ok-gyeong of the Department of Orthodontics and Protection at Gyeonggi University said, “Basically, masks should be distributed free of charge to people held in state facilities, but I think the Ministry of Justice decided that the mask budget was only 500 million won.” Instead, even now, we need to prepare measures to provide masks for all prisoners, such as using reserve funds.”
On the morning of the 5th, Vice Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu visits Suwon Detention Center in Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, and receives a briefing on the situation of inmate quarantine. The Ministry of Justice said that from that day onwards, the Ministry of Justice will visit the Seoul East Detention Center every day for the time being to check the response situation related to the outbreak of the COVID-19 group. yunhap news
“Corona 19 inflow blocking self-portrait”
Meanwhile, in a promotional video released by the Ministry of Justice through YouTube at the end of last year, the government announced that, along with the adjustment of the prosecutor’s and police officers’ right to “block the inflow of Corona 19 in correctional facilities,” and “supply masks for correctional work to overcome the Corona 19 crisis, the community, etc.” It was known late this day and bought a frown. As of 6 p.m. on this day, the number of corona19 confirmed in correctional facilities nationwide increased to 1125, an increase of 8 (four in Seoul detention center, two in Seoul southern prison, one in Cheonan, and one in Yeongwol prison). The Ministry of Justice conducted the 6th total inspection on 868 employees and detainees of the Seoul Eastern District Office on that day.
Reporter Ha Jun-ho [email protected]