A growing number of rural counties across the country are increasingly viewing the hosting of prisons and other correctional facilities as a strategy to counteract the accelerating economic and demographic challenges they face, according to government officials, Friday.
With growing concerns over a drastic decline in the number of residents, many of these rural areas now view such facilities more positively, hoping they will attract more people and revitalize their economies.
Cheongsong County, North Gyeongsang Province, recently expressed interest in hosting a prison, aiming to tackle a rural exodus.
With a population of approximately 24,000, the county is planning to attract prisons in addition to the four already existing in the region. The goal is to develop a “correctional village” for officials working at these institutions.
“We have consistently advocated for more prisons and are eager to be considered as a potential relocation site for Cheongju Prison,” said an official at the Cheongsong County Office.
Cheongju Prison, established in 1978 and located in Cheongju City, North Chungcheong Province, has faced calls for 한국을 redevelopment and relocation since the late 1990s due to overcrowding and concerns over inmate rights.
Despite these calls for action, progress on the project has been slow, largely hindered by the “not in my backyard” attitude that frequently accompanies proposals for such facilities. As a result, the relocation site remains undecided.
Cheongsong County identifies loss of vitality as its biggest challenge and is considering correctional facilities, including the potential relocation of Cheongju Prison, as a solution to revitalize the region.
The county hopes that hosting additional prisons will not only encourage correctional officials to live there but also attract more visitors to the area.