Fundraising for Yoon's 'Warm Detention Money'? Ruling Party Criticizes: "Assets Worth 7.5 Billion Won, Shameless"

Yoon Couple's Assets Total 7.48 Billion Won
Kim Keonhee Holds 4.98 Billion Won in Deposits Alone

After supporters began encouraging donations for former President Yoon Seokyeol's detention fund following his re-arrest on the 10th, the ruling party criticized the move as "shameless." In particular, it was pointed out that former President Yoon's assets amount to 7.5 billion won.

On the 14th, Kim Byungki, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, criticized the fundraising at the party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, saying, "I don't understand how it makes sense to raise a detention fund for Yoon Seokyeol, whose declared assets alone are about 7.5 billion won. 'Shameless' is the perfect word." This was in response to lawyer Kim Gyeri, who represents former President Yoon, and Han Gil Jeon, a former Korean history instructor known for opposing Yoon's impeachment, both sharing Yoon's detention fund account number on social media and encouraging donations.

Former President Yoon Seokyeol is entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 9th to attend a pre-arrest detention hearing. Photo by Joint Press Corps

According to the public officials' asset disclosure released in March last year, the combined assets of former President Yoon and his wife amounted to 7,481,120,000 won. Of this, deposits under the name of Kim Keonhee alone totaled 4,984,160,000 won. In addition, former President Yoon reported 632,260,000 won in deposits under his own name, and real estate including an Acrovista apartment and commercial property in Seocho-gu worth 1,569,000,000 won.

Previously, supporters of former President Yoon had actively encouraged donations for his detention fund, claiming that "there is no detention money." On July 11, just one day after Yoon was taken into custody, his lawyer Kim Gyeri posted on social media, "It is unthinkable for the president to carry cash, so he suddenly entered without a single won and has not been able to buy anything," and disclosed the account number for Yoon's detention fund.

Han Gil Jeon, the former Korean history instructor, also revealed Yoon's detention fund account on his YouTube channel, requesting, "Please send your support and love to President Yoon Seokyeol, who is continuing his lonely struggle in prison." It was reported that the account reached its maximum limit of 4 million won within a day of being made public. Detainees are allowed to receive up to 4 million won in their detention fund accounts, with a daily spending limit of 20,000 won.

A post encouraging donations for former President Yoon's detention money, posted by former Korean history instructor Han Gil Jeon. YouTube channel 'Han Gil Jeon News'

In response, the Democratic Party criticized the move as "sympathy marketing," arguing that there is no reason to raise a detention fund when the couple's assets amount to several billion won. Han Junho, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, said, "As the special prosecutor's investigation continues and the allegations against Yoon Seokyeol grow stronger, it seems that far-right forces have finally resorted to sympathy marketing." Song Younghoon, former spokesperson for the People Power Party, also appeared on CBS Radio's "Park Jaehong's Hanpan Seungbu" and stated, "He is not someone without money, so why is there a public fundraising for his detention fund? I can say with certainty that this is political business."

Democratic Party spokesperson Kim Jiho, on the same program, said, "Former President Yoon is a very proud person, and his spouse is outside, so it is hard to understand why there is a campaign to send him detention money because he supposedly has none," adding, "There may also be a political motive on the part of his lawyer. I suspect that former President Yoon is being used to boost someone else's profile."