The Ministry of Justice has abruptly replaced the warden of the Seoul Detention Center, where former President Yoon Suk-yeol is being held.
On August 14, the Ministry of Justice announced that, effective August 18, Kim Hyunwoo, the current warden of the Seoul Detention Center, will be transferred to head the Anyang Detention Center, while Kim Dohyung, the warden of the Suwon Detention Center, will be appointed as the new warden of the Seoul Detention Center.
Police officers are standing guard in front of the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News
The Ministry of Justice explained, "This personnel change was made based on the assessment that a renewal of staff was necessary in light of various issues raised regarding the treatment of former President Yoon during his detention." The ministry added, "We will continue to make every effort to enforce the law strictly, including ensuring fair management of detainees without any preferential treatment."
Starting today, the Ministry of Justice has also stopped providing former President Yoon with a private room for attorney meetings. Going forward, he will have to meet with his attorneys in the same area as other inmates.
However, in order to maintain order within the facility, it has been confirmed that he will continue to use separate areas for exercise and showers, as before, rather than sharing them with the general inmate population. As multiple attempts to forcibly bring former President Yoon to court have failed, criticism has grown in political circles that he is receiving special treatment at the detention center.
The Special Committee for Comprehensive Response to the Three Major Special Prosecutors of the Democratic Party of Korea claimed on August 1 that former President Yoon had met with 348 individuals for a total of 395 hours and 18 minutes during his entire period of detention at the Seoul Detention Center, raising suspicions of preferential treatment.
Previously, Minister of Justice Jeong Seongho stated on Facebook that he was "closely examining whether the suspect has been enjoying any privileges by taking advantage of his status as a former president."
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