Kim Hong-Gul in Prison

From a luxurious house of worth of 970 thousand US dollars in Los Angeles of the United States to a solitary prison cell of 2.17 Pyoung where every wall is covered with cement. Even `the president`s son`, when he commits a crime, is treated the same like the other `inmates.`

At 6:30 A.M. on May 19, Kim Hong-Gul raised his body up in a solitary room while a wake-up music sounded according to an inmate rule of obedience of the Seoul penitentiary. Even though he has a firm mind to prepare the arrest when appearing before the prosecution, the solitary room seemed strange. The prison cell Hong-Gul was accommodated is a solitary room upper No. 10, which is located four cells distance from the room upper No. 14 of the 13-block building where Hyun-Cheol was imprisoned in 1997. The room`s area is 2.17 Pyoung and can accommodate up to three prisoners. Additionally, it has been prepared with the same facilities of the upper No. 14 including a western-style toilet and a washing basin.

At seven A.M. on May 19, he took his first food in the prison. The breakfast menu consisted of seaweed soup, hard-boiled potato and cabbage kimchi based on one meal-two side dishes of the prison food guide (which means a soup and two side dishes). The rice was a mixture of rice and barley in proportion of eight to two. Hong-Gul tried about two spoons, but gave up eating. Instead, he drunk a pack of milk among the three packs of milk and two pieces of bread bought from the prison kiosk.

Hong-Gul ate a little bit of ginseng chicken broth that was a lunch special for the Budda`s Birthday.

Previously Hong-Gul started a new life in prison as he was arrested and prisoned in the Seoul penitentiary in charge of the money-for-influence in violation of the Specified Crimes Aggravated Punishment Act at 9:20 P.M. in the afternoon of May 18.

Arrived at the penitentiary, Hong-Gul went to the fresh prisoners education room following the guidance of nighttime chief officer. The penitentiary officer confirmed the name, citizen`s registration number, and the arrest warrant of Hong-Gul and explained the inmate rule of obedience. Then Hong-Gul went through a brief physical check, and a dark blue suit he has worn, and put on a navy blue prison cloth with a prisoner No. 3750 was inscribed in the back.

Hong-Gul went to a solitary cell assigned at 10:10 P.M. in the day. As other prisoners had already in bed at 9:00 P.M. according to the retirement rules, the inside of the penitentiary was quiet.

Hong-Gul immediately went to bed when he entered the cell as if he was tired after the three days probe and slept after a little bit of tumbling, according to a source.

A source of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) relayed that Hong-Gul did not feel hard of the prison life and spent quietly reading the Bible and religious periodicals First Lady Lee Hee-Ho delivered.

The related person added, `No special treatment is allowed for Hong-Gul, but necessary measures to ensure his personal security are taken.`

Jin-Kyun Kil leon@donga.com