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Seoul Detention Center head replaced amid alleged preferential treatment of ex-President Yoon

Published: 14 Aug. 2025, 19:57 Updated: 14 Aug. 2025, 21:14

Special counsel's vehicle enters the Seoul Detention Center to re-execute an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Aug. 7. [YONHAP]

The Ministry of Justice has replaced the head of the Seoul Detention Center following allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol received preferential treatment while in custody, including the use of a private meeting room.

On Thursday, the ministry announced that Kim Hyun-woo, former chief of the Seoul Detention Center where Yoon is being held, has been reassigned to head the Anyang Correctional Institution. Kim Do-hyeong has been appointed as the new chief.

The change comes amid accusations raised by the Democratic Party’s special committee on the three special counsels, which said that Yoon refused to comply with an arrest warrant issued by the special counsel investigating first lady Kim Keon Hee.

The committee claimed Yoon had a total of 395 hours and 18 minutes of legal counsel during his detention, meeting with 348 individuals in total. It argued this suggested “clear preferential treatment,” particularly as Yoon ignored the special counsel’s summons and enjoyed a “comfortable detention life.”

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho addressed the issue on his Facebook page, writing, “We are thoroughly reviewing whether the suspect has used their status as a former president to gain any undue privileges.”

As of Thursday, the ministry has also revoked Yoon’s access to a private meeting room for legal consultations.

“This personnel decision was made in response to various concerns raised about the treatment of former President Yoon during detention,” the ministry said in a statement. “We hope this reshuffle will reinvigorate the organization and help staff better focus on their core responsibilities.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]