Former president Yoon has received 1.2 billion won in inmate funds since imprisonment last year
Published: 01 Apr. 2026, 20:30
![Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a first-instance sentencing hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Feb. 19. [SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT COURT]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/04/01/a7b80cfc-a63c-4a9b-b6e3-daff1839805d.jpg)
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a first-instance sentencing hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Feb. 19. [SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT COURT]
Jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol has collected over 1.2 billion won ($795,000) in inmate funds during eight months of detention through last month, a lawmaker said Wednesday, citing data from the Justice Ministry.
Yoon has been held at Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just south of Seoul, since his second arrest on July 10, 2025, on charges related to his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024.
From then through March 15, a total of 1.26 billion was deposited into his inmate trust account, an amount equivalent to 4.6 times the salary of President Lee Jae Myung this year, Rep. Kim Yong-min of the ruling Democratic Party said. In the same period, 358 withdrawals were made, averaging 1.4 times a day.
“An absurd situation is happening where insurrection ringleader Yoon Suk Yeol is benefiting from a luxurious inmate deposit fund scheme,” the lawmaker said.
“Inmate funds must not be reduced to a means of enriching a criminal,” he added, calling for institutional reforms.
Of the inmate trust accounts at Seoul Detention Center, the second largest was 102 million won, followed by 51.6 million won.
High-profile inmates at the facility currently include Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the main opposition People Power Party and Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja.
Meanwhile, Yoon's wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, is estimated to have collected 97.4 million won in her account between her arrest Aug. 12 and March 15.
She has been jailed at Seoul Nambu Detention Center in southwestern Seoul on a range of corruption charges.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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