The government has transferred about 500 inmates from a prison in North Gyeongsang Province to a nearby prison due to the wildfires in Uiseong. 

The Justice Ministry said Wednesday that about 500 inmates at a correctional center in the province, formerly the Cheongsong Correctional Center, were transferred to a prison under the Daegu Regional Correctional Headquarters between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. 

The ministry said it initially planned to move about 800 prisoners to safety from Andong and 27-hundred inmates from four other correctional facilities in the province, but it became unnecessary thanks to swift firefighting efforts by the staff at the facilities and changes in the direction of the wildfires.

A ministry official said there have been no casualties or property damage from the fires at correctional institutions, adding that the ministry will continue to monitor the situation closely and take the necessary safety measures.