'Han River Dismembered Body' Jang Daeho Loses Lawsuit Over "Prison Warden Opened Mail Without Consent"

Claimed, "Mail Intended for Civil Court Was Opened"

Court Reaches Same Conclusion as Human Rights Commission, Dismissing the Case

Jang Daeho, who received a confirmed life sentence for the "Han River dismembered body case," filed an administrative lawsuit claiming that the prison warden opened his mail without his consent, but lost the case.

According to Yonhap News on June 15, the Seoul Administrative Court’s 10th Administrative Division (Presiding Judge Jung Eunyoung) ruled in favor of the defendant on June 10 in a lawsuit filed by Jang against the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, seeking to overturn the dismissal of his petition.

Jang Daeho, who was sentenced to life imprisonment after being arrested and prosecuted on charges of killing a motel guest, mutilating the body, and abandoning it in the Han River. Photo by Yonhap News

Jang was indicted in August 2019 for murdering a motel guest with a blunt object and dismembering and disposing of the body in the Han River. He claimed the guest had picked a quarrel and failed to pay for the room. The following year, he received a confirmed life sentence.

Jang filed a petition with the Human Rights Commission, alleging that while he was incarcerated, the prison warden opened mail he intended to submit to a civil court without notifying him, and stamped the first page of the enclosed complaint. Jang argued that, because the mail contained a civil complaint filed against the prison warden, the warden’s act of viewing it infringed on his right to a fair trial and freedom of communication.

However, the Human Rights Commission dismissed the petition in September last year, stating, “There is no objective evidence supporting Jang’s claims, and no specific additional measures are necessary.” Jang then filed an administrative lawsuit in November of the same year.

The court reached the same conclusion as the Human Rights Commission.

The court stated, “The work report prepared by the staff member at the time includes a statement that the letter was opened after obtaining the plaintiff's consent, so it is difficult to regard the plaintiff’s claim as objectively proven.” Regarding the act of stamping the complaint, the court acknowledged, “It is recognized that the stamp was affixed due to the employee's mistake,” but added, “Since the prison authorities have made efforts to prevent recurrence, such as conducting work training, this falls under the ‘case where recovery has been achieved’ as stipulated by the Human Rights Commission Act.” The court found the Human Rights Commission’s dismissal decision to be lawful and rejected Jang’s claim.

Meanwhile, in April, Jang also lost another lawsuit against North Gyeongsang Northern No. 2 Correctional Institution, seeking to nullify disciplinary actions including a ban on television viewing. In November 2024, after receiving six disciplinary actions, including for assaulting and verbally abusing staff, Jang was transferred to North Gyeongsang Northern No. 2 Correctional Institution, a facility designated for inmates with violent tendencies.

The correctional authorities confined Jang in a solitary cell without a television for four months and restricted his attendance at religious gatherings and use of an electric shaver, citing the need to maintain order and ensure safety within the facility. Jang filed a lawsuit in September last year, claiming that these long-term restrictions on basic rights were an abuse of discretion.

However, the 2nd Administrative Division of the Daegu District Court (Presiding Judge Joo Kyungtae) rejected his claim, stating, “It is reasonable as a preventive measure, considering the risk of fighting with other inmates and the recognition that he is not suitable for communal living.”

Jang is currently serving his sentence at Hongseong Prison.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.