Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Ex-president, wife no longer permitted to use private visiting room
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, July 9. Joint Press Corps
By Jung Min-ho
Warden removed from Seoul detention center for offering special treatment
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee will no longer be allowed to use private attorney-client meeting rooms at their respective detention centers as the Ministry of Justice moves to eliminate preferential treatment surrounding their custody.
On Friday, the ministry announced a major personnel reshuffle, appointing Kim Do-hyung, the current warden of Suwon Detention Center, as the new head of Seoul Detention Center — where Yoon is being held. Kim Hyun-woo, the outgoing Seoul warden, will assume leadership of Anyang Prison. The changes will take effect on Monday.
The ministry cited “various issues raised regarding Yoon’s detention and treatment” as the reason for the overhaul.
“The Ministry of Justice will continue to make every effort to ensure strict law enforcement and fair detention management, free from any suspicion of preferential treatment,” it said.
The same day, the ministry stopped allowing Yoon and his wife to meet their lawyers inside private rooms; instead, they must meet their legal counsel in standard visitation rooms, like all other inmates.
However, for institutional security and order, they will continue to have separate times for exercise and showers, away from the general prison population.
This move comes after repeated failed attempts to bring Yoon to court hearings for his charges and intensifying criticism that the former president had been granted special privileges behind bars. Earlier this month, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) alleged that Yoon had met with 348 visitors for more than 395 hours during his detention, fueling suspicions of unfair treatment.
On July 31 and Aug. 11, representatives of the party’s special committee formed to monitor investigations targeting Yoon’s martial law declaration and other charges visited Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, demanding stricter enforcement of internal regulations.
The latest visit by the representatives followed two unsuccessful attempts to bring Yoon to court on Aug. 1 and 7 due to “strong resistance,” which intensified suspicions and debates about preferential treatment.
Kim Keon Hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, leaves the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps
In a social media post, Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho explained that the new measure was introduced to correct the special treatment given to former president inmates.
“Out of respect for the former president, we had allowed the use of a private meeting room, as was customary for former presidents who had been detained in the past. However, this privilege was abused. All legal procedures, including investigations and trials, were refused, and the attorney visitation room was used as a personal lounge,” Jung said. “For a suspect who has cast aside the dignity expected of a former president and has exploited every legal means to mock the judicial order, the Ministry of Justice will take appropriate corresponding measures.”
Even when visiting Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital in Anyang on Wednesday and Thursday for eye treatment, Yoon had to wear handcuffs and electronic ankle monitors, following standard security measures for all ill inmates, ministry officials said.
The DPK has welcomed the change.
“It is only the beginning. A thorough, comprehensive investigation is necessary to determine whether there were any additional privileges granted to the former president and his wife,” the special committee said in a statement. “This issue can’t be resolved simply by replacing the chief of the detention center.”