November 10, 2025
SEOUL – Former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who is currently detained at the Seoul Detention Center for his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024, has received over 650 million won ($450,000) in prison deposits over the past three months.
Prison funds are for inmates use while in prison to buy toiletries or other necessities, but the large influx of deposits has sparked concerns that the system — which is not closely monitored — may have been exploited for other uses.
Yoon received some 657.26 million won in prison fund donations from July 10 to Oct. 26, according to data submitted by the Ministry of Justice to Rep. Park Eun-jung of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party.
The total was deposited across 12,794 transactions, averaging over 100 deposits per day, making Yoon the biggest recipient of inmate deposits at the detention center.
Under South Korean law, the maximum balance an inmate can use as prison deposits is 4 million won. Any deposits exceeding this threshold may either be received upon release or be transferred to a personal bank account upon request.
Yoon had withdrawn a total of about 651 million won in 180 transactions, according to the data provided by the ministry.
Observers say the current prison funds system is vulnerable to misuse, due to its lack of disclosure and taxation enforcement.
While the amount that can be used is restricted, there is no limit to the total amount that can be received or the number of deposits made, effectively allowing for continuous deposits and frequent withdrawals.
Though prison deposits are technically subject to taxation, enforcement is rare due to limitations in the National Tax Service’s ability to collect data on prison transactions.
A proposed amendment to the Inheritance Tax and Gift Tax Act is currently under review at the National Assembly — which would grant the NTS authority to request detailed transaction records from correctional facilities — though when this law will pass is unclear.
Rep. Park believes “the prison deposit system, which was originally introduced to improve inmate convenience, has effectively been transformed into a political fundraising channel,” though she did not give any examples of prison funds being used for political ends.
“It seems urgent to devise institutional reforms, such as setting limits on deposit amounts, to prevent misuse that goes against the system’s original intent,” Park underscored.
Yoon is not the first to receive large amounts in prison funds. In 2023, it was reported that Chung Kyung-shim, the wife of Rebuilding Korea Party founder Cho Kuk, received 240 million won in prison deposits between the end of 2020 and February 2023 while detained and later imprisoned for forgery and financial crimes.
Former first lady Kim Keon Hee, who is also detained at the Seoul Nambu Detention Center on suspicion of stock manipulation and interference in political nominations, received around 22.5 million won from Aug. 12 to Oct. 26. Kim withdrew about 18.56 million won during the same period through 18 transactions.
Following Yoon on the list of top deposit recipients at the Seoul Detention Center were Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the main opposition People Power Party, who is accused of receiving illegal political funds, and Han Hak-ja, leader of the Unification Church, who faces charges of making unlawful political donations.
Kweon has received about 16.6 million won and withdrawn 16.44 million won since his incarceration on Sept. 16, while Han has received around 5.64 million won and withdrawn 1.14 million won since being detained on Sept. 23.