Inmates granted temporary release often fail to return, raising concerns over monitoring practices
Published: 29 Jun. 2025, 13:26
Updated: 29 Jun. 2025, 17:34
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![The entrance to Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi is seen on Feb. 3. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/29/89501762-d149-4065-bff9-8145d3812d91.jpg)
The entrance to Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi is seen on Feb. 3. [NEWS1]
Inmates temporarily released from detention centers or prisons for reasons such as the death or hospitalization of a parent have repeatedly failed to return on time — and some have committed additional crimes while at large.
One such case involved a man who was caught in southern Seoul April last year for cryptocurrency fraud totaling 500 million won ($367,190), according to correctional authorities and police on Friday.
The man had been serving time at the Seoul Detention Center for fraud when he was granted temporary release after his father passed away. However, he did not return after the funeral and remained outside for over four months.
During that period, the man lured a victim near Samseong Station in southern Seoul by claiming he would sell cryptocurrency below market price, assaulted the person with a blunt object and fled with 500 million won in cash. In effect, someone who should have been behind bars was committing fraud in the heart of Seoul.
In another case last August, an inmate in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, who had been granted temporary release for health reasons, failed to return and was caught after threatening a person with a knife during a hostage standoff.
The problem, authorities say, is that there are few measures in place to monitor inmates once they are temporarily released.
“Once inmates are released on temporary suspension of detention or leave of absence, we cannot and do not track or manage them,” said a Ministry of Justice official. “There aren't even any related statistics.”
![Inmates are seen at a detention center on Oct. 18, 2024. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/29/25f9abf6-27a5-4d66-8ce9-f4bb64fe52bd.jpg)
Inmates are seen at a detention center on Oct. 18, 2024. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Leave of absence approvals are determined by a review board that includes external members, but the criteria for approval are not disclosed to the public.
A total of 1,397 inmates were granted leave last year, according to the Justice Ministry’s correctional statistics. Of those, 56 percent were serving sentences of less than three years, 13 percent were serving more than 10 years and 0.4 percent were serving life sentences.
Correctional officials cite a lack of personnel as a major challenge in monitoring inmates on leave.
“We try to assign correctional officers to accompany those granted leave, or approve leave only for inmates with exemplary conduct,” a Justice Ministry official said. “But due to staff shortages, this is not always possible.”
The prosecution has a separate team for apprehension.
![The Seoul Dongbu Detention Center in Songpa District, southern Seoul is seen on Dec. 20, 2022. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/29/871f4081-3d39-4138-b64c-76f9b85c96dd.jpg)
The Seoul Dongbu Detention Center in Songpa District, southern Seoul is seen on Dec. 20, 2022. [JOONGANG ILBO]
“Inmates who have not returned are tracked by pursuit teams such as the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s apprehension team,” a prosecution official explained.
However, within the prosecution, there are voices saying that it is already difficult enough to catch “unexecuted custodial sentence recipients” — those who have received confirmed prison or jail sentences but avoid serving time.
The number of unexecuted custodial sentence recipients has been steadily increasing, from 3,548 in 2020 to 6,155 in 2024.
Experts advise that an active response, such as a complete survey of inmates who fail to return, is necessary.
“Once someone leaves prison, it’s easy to lose the will to return,” said Lee Yoon-ho, a professor of police administration at Dongguk University. “Surveillance officers should accompany them, or a coordinated system between police and probation officers should be established. If manpower is limited, using equipment like smartwatches could be an alternative.”
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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