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A vehicle carrying former President Yoon Suk-yeol enters Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, on July 9 after he underwent a court review for a pretrial detention warrant. / Source: Yonhap News

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol was re-incarcerated on July 10, becoming the first South Korean president to be detained twice and the first to enter Seoul Detention Center while still holding or having recently held office.

Yoon was taken into custody just after a court issued an arrest warrant at the request of Cho Eun-seok, the special prosecutor leading the insurrection probe. He was readmitted to the detention center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, only 124 days after his previous release on March 8 following a court decision to cancel his detention.

Like any ordinary detainee, Yoon underwent the standard admission process. He is now housed in a solitary cell of about 10 square meters, which includes basic amenities such as a toilet, storage cabinet, and a TV. However, amid temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, the only cooling system is a fan that operates automatically — not at the inmate’s discretion.

Seoul Detention Center has previously held a number of high-profile inmates, including former presidents Roh Tae-woo and Park Geun-hye.

Roh was detained in a solitary cell in November 1995 after being indicted as the ringleader of a coup. His cell, separated from those of ordinary inmates, measured around 21.8 square meters and was equipped with a wooden bed, a one-square-meter bathroom, and basic bathing facilities.

Park Geun-hye, jailed in 2017 for her role in the influence-peddling scandal, was also confined in a solitary cell at Seoul Detention Center. In recognition of her former status, she was assigned a room of approximately 12 square meters. Reports say she burst into tears before entering her cell.

Lee Myung-bak, convicted in 2018 on bribery and other charges totaling over 11 billion won, was detained at Seoul Eastern Detention Center instead, as several figures involved in both his and Park’s cases were already being held at Seoul Detention Center.

Former President Chun Doo-hwan, who died in 2021, was jailed at Anyang Correctional Institution in December 1995 on charges including insurrection under military law. He followed a routine identical to that of other inmates, waking at 7 a.m. and lights out at 9 p.m.

All of the former presidents mentioned were ultimately convicted in court. Roh and Chun received 17 years and life imprisonment respectively from the Supreme Court in April 1997 but were released in December that year via a special pardon from then-President Kim Young-sam.

Park’s 22-year sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court in January 2021 and she was pardoned by President Moon Jae-in in December of that year. Lee Myung-bak received a pardon during Yoon Suk-yeol’s presidency.