South Korean President Yoon Will Be Detained In Isolation Cells, Prepared Soybean Sup Dinner

JAKARTA - The impeached South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was arrested in connection with an investigation into alleged rebellion on the military emergency policy. Yoon is expected to be detained in an isolation cell or solitary cell in a detention center.

Although Yoon was the first incumbent president to be arrested in South Korea, other important figures including former President Park Geun-hye and Samsung Electronics Leader Jay Y. Lee have also spent time at the Seoul Detention Center.

Yoon was taken to the Corruption Investigation Office for High Officials (CIO) who led the investigation into his role in declaring martial law on December 3.

CIO is an independent institution established in 2021 to investigate high-ranking officials including the president and members of his family.

Teetapi CIO does not have the authority to try the president and must refer any case to the prosecutor's office for follow-up.

The office is located in an extensive government complex in Gwancheon bordering the capital Seoul, about 10 minutes in a motorcade of police cars from the president's official residence.

CIO prepared a list of questions of more than 200 pages for Yoon. Although the authorities have prepared the interrogation to be recorded in the video, it was not videoed because Yoon refused to be recorded, a CIO official said.

Investigators referred to Yoon as "Mr President" when they asked him. While the dinner menu includes soybean pasta soup, the official said.

The authorities had 48 hours to interrogate Yoon, after which they had to ask for a warrant to detain him for up to 20 days or release him.

While in custody, Yoon will be detained at the Seoul Detention Center when he is not interrogated, although there may not be time for him to go there within 48 hours if the interrogation continues overnight.

Based on the precedent and due to its status, Yoon will probably be placed in an isolation cell, most likely better and better than a standard single cell measuring 6.56 square meters.

Arriving at the detention center, Yoon will undergo a simple identity check and health check, and join the life of pre-trial prisoners who wake up at 6.30 a.m. and with lights off at 9 p.m.