The Korea Times is running a two part series about how foreigners are treated at the prison in Taejon. Here is an excerpt from part one:

A total of about 4,000 inmates are serving time, including roughly 300 foreign prisoners from 45 different countries. The alleged crime in question is usually divided along national lines: Malaysians, credit card fraud; Vietnamese, theft; Mongolians, manslaughter; and Westerners, drugs. Compared to Koreans, foreigners typically receive harsher sentences for identical crimes, but of the foreigners Westerners usually get lighter sentences than those from elsewhere.

According to extensive correspondence and interesting interviews with a vast array of foreign prisoners, their experience is a sobering reminder for everyone to cherish freedom. Assigned to cells aligned like the cramped quarters of the slave ships of the 17th century, two inmates share a cell with living quarters measuring no more than 4’ by 7’.

For those interested USFK prisoners do not serve time at the Taejon prison. The USFK prisoners are jailed just up the road from Taejon at the Choenan correctional facility where conditions are much better compared to Choenan.