SEOUL: The family of a deceased prisoner who succumbed to COVID-19 during a mass infection outbreak at the Seoul Dongbu Detention Center has filed a lawsuit against the state. They are seeking compensation for alleged negligence in protecting high-risk inmates and failing to address overcrowding in the facility.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the inmate, who was in his 70s and had diabetes, died in December 2020 amidst nearly 800 COVID-19 cases reported at the detention center. The lawsuit, filed in the Seoul Central District Court, demands 31 million won in damages, citing the state's failure to promptly transport the inmate to a hospital despite his breathing difficulties. The lawyers also highlighted the detention center's overcrowding, with an occupancy rate of 116 percent at the time of the outbreak.