Jailed ex-President Yoon receives 1.24 billion won

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol received more than 1.24 billion won, about $920,000, in inmate deposits over 266 days following his rearrest in July last year, government data showed Wednesday. The total is the largest recorded among inmates at the Seoul Detention Center during the same period and equals roughly 4.6 times this year’s presidential salary of 271.77 million won.

Data from the Ministry of Justice, submitted to the office of Rep. Park Eun-jung of the Reform Korea Party, showed that Yoon received the funds in 27,410 transactions between July 10 and March 9. He was rearrested on July 10 after a court approved a detention warrant sought by special prosecutor Cho Eun-seok.

During that period, Yoon withdrew 1.233 billion won in 350 transactions, averaging about 1.4 withdrawals per day. The second-largest inmate deposit at the Seoul Detention Center totaled 100.73 million won, about one-tenth of Yoon’s amount. The third-largest came to 48.6 million won.

Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, who has been held at the Seoul Southern Detention Center since Aug. 12, received 93.05 million won in 4,554 transactions through March 9. She withdrew 89.69 million won in 56 transactions. The largest total at that facility reached 123.2 million won, placing Kim second. The third-largest total was 54.08 million won.

Inmate deposits are used by detainees to purchase daily necessities and snacks within correctional facilities. Ministry of Justice guidelines cap the balance at 4 million won. Any excess is returned upon release or transferred to a personal account upon request. There are no limits on total deposits, withdrawals or the number of transactions.

Although inmate deposits are subject to taxation, authorities face practical limits in obtaining detailed records of individual transfers.

Park criticized the system, saying Yoon, who received a life sentence in a first trial as the ringleader of an insurrection, is effectively using inmate deposits to collect donations within legal bounds. She called for swift reforms to ensure the system is not misused as a channel for support or fundraising and operates in line with its intended purpose.


박경민 기자 mean@donga.com