Inside Korea's plan for AI-aided prisons

Korean prisons of the future will be equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) that can quickly identify warning signs of violence, self-harm and escape, as the Ministry of Justice moves to build a data-driven correctional management system. Lee Hong-yeon, chief of the Korea Correctional Service, described the project as a shift from a reactive model — responding after an incident occurs — to a preventive one backed by data analysis, which he believes will help the institution achieve its broader goals of preventing incidents, reducing reoffending and protecting prison staff. “AI correctional administration is not simply about introducing new technology,” Lee said in a recent written interview with The Korea Times. “It is a transition toward preventive and scientific methods that identify risks in advance and provide individualized correctional treatment and rehabilitation support suited to each inmate’s characteristics and needs.” Under the plan, AI tools would help staff spot changes in an inmate’s behavior, assess key risk factors and identify necessary interventions