Neatly Styled Yoon Hair... Ministry of Justice "Considering President Status"

Ministry of Justice: "Request from Yoon's Side, Not Special Treatment"

On the 24th, the Ministry of Justice explained that it "considered the president's status" in response to controversy over special treatment related to President Yoon Seok-yeol's neat hairstyle when he appeared at the third hearing of the Constitutional Court impeachment trial on the 21st.

Through a press release on the same day, the Ministry of Justice stated, "Regarding the explanation notice about the 'president's hair grooming' from the previous day, there were claims by a certain politician that it was a false explanation, so we would like to clarify," adding, "The Ministry of Justice's notice from the previous day was based on facts, and there are multiple precedents for cooperation such as makeup for election broadcast filming."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is attending the 4th impeachment trial hearing held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 23rd. Photo by Joint Press Corps

President Yoon, who is detained on charges of being the ringleader of a rebellion and is held at Seoul Detention Center, appeared at the impeachment trial hearing on the 21st with a neat hairstyle parted 2:8 and combed back as if dried with a hairdryer. Subsequently, on the 23rd, Park Eun-jung, a member of the Joguk Innovation Party, posted on her social media with the title "Reveal the truth behind the emperor-style styling service for '0010 (President Yoon Seok-yeol's inmate number)'."

Park criticized, "According to confirmation with the correctional authorities of the Ministry of Justice today, the respondent President Yoon's side verbally requested prior hair styling from the correctional authorities, and the Ministry of Justice approved it," adding, "Which ordinary inmate receives hair grooming before attending a trial?"

President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the 4th impeachment trial hearing held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 23rd. Photo by Joint Press Corps

In response, the Ministry of Justice explained, "Before the appearance, the Presidential Office requested cooperation from Seoul Detention Center to consider protocol and courtesy as the president, as well as the importance and interest of the constitutional trial," and added, "Under the supervision of a correctional officer, simple hair grooming was done."

It further explained, "Considering comprehensively that he is the incumbent president and that there have been cases of cooperation such as candidate makeup during election broadcast filming within correctional facilities, it is difficult to see this as special treatment. Therefore, the detention center cooperated to allow simple hair grooming under the supervision of a correctional officer in a waiting area agreed upon by the Presidential Office and the Constitutional Court."

Regarding criticism that President Yoon did not wear the inmate number 10 badge, it stated, "Whether a pretrial detainee wears an inmate number badge when wearing civilian clothes is at the discretion of the detention center director according to relevant regulations."