Secretly Smuggling Hamburgers and Buldak Sauce: Correctional Officer Received 70 Million Won from Inmate

Smuggled External Food and Clothing into Detention Center in Exchange for Bribes

Court: "Abandoned Even the Minimum Standard of Legal Compliance"

A correctional officer who received cash and entertainment from an inmate and secretly brought hamburgers, hot chicken flavor ramen sauce, clothing, and other items into the detention center was sentenced to prison in the first trial.

On August 7, Yonhap News Agency, citing legal sources, reported that the Seoul Central District Court’s 35th Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Baek Daehyun) sentenced correctional officer Jung to seven years in prison and a fine of 150 million won on July 24. Jung was indicted for bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The court also ordered the forfeiture of approximately 70 million won.

Person A, who provided bribes to Jung in exchange for passing the items, was sentenced to two years in prison. An attorney who participated in the bribe delivery process at A's request received a one-year prison sentence, and another person involved in the offense also received a separate sentence.

Jung became acquainted with inmate A, a former organized crime member incarcerated at Seoul Detention Center in May 2021 on charges of joint assault under the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts. A was assigned to a ward managed by Jung.

Seoul Central District Court. Yonhap News Agency

Afterward, Jung began smuggling not only food requested by A, such as hamburgers and hot chicken flavor ramen sauce, but also items like shoes, T-shirts, socks, and other clothing into the detention center. It was investigated that Jung took advantage of the relatively lax security inspections conducted on correctional officers to bring these items inside.

The delivery of goods was carried out through a chain involving multiple people. When person A handed over a list of needed items to an attorney during a visit, the attorney would notify A’s acquaintance, who in turn gave the goods to Jung. Jung then reportedly used night patrol duties and other means to deliver the items to A, who was in a solitary cell.

The cash and entertainment that Jung received in return amounted to about 70 million won. The bribes were given in various forms, including not only cash but also apartment subscription fees, footwear, and hotel accommodation expenses. It was found that Jung received such benefits over approximately three years and seven months. Jung is also accused of handing over another inmate's personal information at A's request.

The court stated, "The defendant actively solicited bribes and brought in food and clothing as requested by the inmate, betraying even the minimum sense of legal compliance required of a correctional officer."

The court further pointed out, "It is clear that not only the proper performance of correctional officers’ duties, but also the fairness and integrity of the overall criminal justice system, as well as the general public’s trust in it, have been severely undermined."

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