The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Park given special treatment in jail

By Bak Se-hwan

Published : April 14, 2017 - 13:35

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Former President Park Geun-hye enjoyed special treatment at a detention center, including staying outside the cell where she now resides over charges of bribery, a local media outlet reported Friday.

At the Seoul Detention Center, south of Seoul, Park reportedly refused to step inside a humble 11-square-meter cell designed to hold about six inmates, demanding that “new wallpaper” be put up because it looked “unclean,” according to a report from No Cut News. 

Photo credit: Yonhap Photo credit: Yonhap

The facility hurriedly executed her demand and allowed the ex-leader to stay two days in one of its office rooms used for night shift workers, the report added.

In another seemingly overly-generous gesture toward the prominent figure, the facility’s response is likely to trigger controversy as she had already been allocated with one of the larger cells to herself given her status.

The cell features a foldable mattress on the floor, a television and a toilet with a cold-water sink.

Twice a week, all inmates, including Park, are allowed to use communal hot bathing facilities in the detentnion building.

The ousted ex-leader has been taken into custody since March 31, a dramatic fall for someone who spent years living at the country’s sprawling presidential palace.

Her detention came after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment motion against Park on March 10 for allegedly colluding with her jailed friend Choi Soon-sil in a bribery scheme.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)