THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2001
S Korea to introduce Asia's first privately run prison
SEOUL: South Korea plans to introduce what it says would be Asia's first private-run prison by 2004 to help ease overcrowding in state jails.
About 80 officials from construction companies and religious groups attended a Justice Ministry presentation on Tuesday to invite bids for the construction and running of a private prison.
The ministry hopes to announce the winning bidder in next March.
South Korea runs 44 prisons, most of them outdated and overcrowded. They hold a combined 62,000 inmates, or 12 per cent more than capacity, officials said.
Prison overcrowding became a serious issue during the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, which produced many offenders convicted of economic crimes. During the crisis, the prisons were overcrowded with up to 70,000 inmates, or 26 per cent more than capacity.
The ministry hopes private prisons will relieve constraints on the government budget and introduce a more efficient way of running prisons.
The new facility will accommodate between 300 and 500 inmates and is likely to cost around $23 million to build, said ministry officials.
The government will reimburse part of the private prison's operating costs, while prison managers may secure more funds from inmate labor, they said.
If the pilot plan is successful, the government is likely to grant more licenses for private prisons.
Thailand is studying a similar plan, according to South Korean officials. ( AP )
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