Corrections officers unite over 'LoL' in first national e-sports tournament

By Choi Eui-jong, The Herald Business

The Ministry of Justice held a national e-sports tournament for correctional officers, aiming to bring new energy to correctional organizations across the country.

The ministry said Monday it hosted the first Minister's Cup National Correctional Institutions E-Sports Tournament on Saturday at Borami Gymnasium of Seoul Southern Correctional Facility, with correctional civil servants from across the country taking part. The competition was designed to help staff build camaraderie across institutions and foster a more vibrant organizational culture.

The tournament featured two titles: StarCraft and League of Legends (LoL). It was held in conjunction with a traveling amateur tournament program supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA). The ministry said the partnership raised the standard of tournament management while reducing the burden on the national budget.

In the StarCraft competition, Seoul Eastern Detention Center, Uijeongbu Prison, Daegu Prison and Busan Detention Center advanced to the finals. In the League of Legends competition, Seoul Eastern Detention Center, Suwon Detention Center (Teams A and B) and Gongju Prison reached the final round.

One winning participant called the event "the best festival for stepping away from the often rigid correctional environment and connecting with colleagues through a game we love, while feeling a real sense of belonging."

Ha Yeong-hun, chief of the Seoul Regional Correctional Service, said he hoped the inaugural Minister's Cup would serve as a springboard for broadening e-sports culture — particularly among MZ generation civil servants already familiar with it — and for building deeper attachment to, and enthusiasm within, the correctional service.