Park held at same detention center as Choi Soon-sil and other key figures of scandal

The Seoul Detention Center, where the arrested former President Park Geun-hye is being held, has often come into the media spotlight for its frequent confinement of ill-famed celebrities.

Located in Uiwang City, in the southern outskirt of Seoul, the Justice Ministry-affiliated center mostly accommodates non-convicted prisoners who are waiting for indictment, trial or a final ruling on their alleged wrongdoings.

It is here that most of the high-profile figures in an extensive corruption scandal involving Park have been detained over the past months.

Park’s confidante and the scandal’s central figure Choi Soon-sil, Samsung Group’s de facto chief Lee Jae-yong, former presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon and former Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun, to name a few.

It is unlikely, though, that Park will come across any of them during her stay.

“Our rule is to strictly separate not only the men and women, but those who are suspected to have been in complicity,” said an official of the Justice Ministry.

But some speculated that Park and Choi -- perhaps Cho as well -- may end up after their trial in Cheongju Women’s Prison, the only exclusively female prison here.

The former president is expected to be put into a solitary room, just like her longtime confidante Choi and her predecessors Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo.

She will remain in segregation, with no access to personal security or assistance of any kind, and be left to perform daily tasks all on her own.

The provided facilities in the confinement room include a folding mattress, a blanket, shelves, a television and a desk, along with a washstand and a toilet.

After each meal, mostly comprising of rice and three side dishes within the budget of 1,414 won ($1.26), Park will have to wash her food tray and return it, just like every other prisoner.

Her attire will be an olive prison uniform, which will be replaced by a lighter-colored summer version starting from June.

She may later decide to purchase her own uniform, just like Choi, who chose to wear an ivory-colored uniform when showing up at court.

It has not yet been confirmed whether Park will be offered exclusivity as her imprisoned predecessors.

Park, however, is likely to be allowed an unlimited range of visits by her lawyers, possibly in an exclusive visiting room. Visits by those not part of the legal representation will be limited to 10 minutes per day.

The public’s attention was also on how the detained Park would get her signature hairstyle done, with the sarcasm reflecting allegations that Park spent several hours on April 16, 2016 -- the day that the Sewol ferry sank -- fixing her hair before appearing in public.

Facing the court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant early on Friday morning, Park undid her hairdo and washed off her makeup, before leaving for the detention center, according to officials.

By Bae Hyun-jung ()