$1.25 jail meal has Koreans talking about ex-presidential couple
The Justice Ministry revealed that three meals are provided per day for every inmate at the Seoul detention center, budgeted at 5,201 won. This amounts to approximately 1,730 won per meal.
According to the monthly meal plan of the correctional authorities, Yoon is expected to have a 1,730 won ($1.25) jail meal consisting of beef and vegetable porridge with steamed potatoes and salt for Wednesday breakfast.
Meals for lunch and dinner are served in a traditional Korean style with rice, soup, side dishes and kimchi. The detained former president, who has been in custody at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, since July 10, is scheduled to have braised chicken with seasoned dried seaweed and stew with soft tofu for Wednesday's lunch and dinner, respectively.
Meanwhile, sliced white bread with strawberry jam, salad and sausage are available for the former first lady's Wednesday breakfast, according to the Korea Correctional Service.
Kim will have pork kimchijjigae, or kimchi stew, and sweet and sour dumplings for her lunch, like any other inmate at the Seoul Southern Detention Center. Wednesday's dinner will be chilled cucumber and seaweed soup with rice and kimchi. Kim's attorneys have been telling the media that she wasn't eating well.
The inmates are provided with nutritious meals totaling over 2,500 kcal per day. And no outside food is allowed.
The ministry also explained that the quantities may be adjusted in the event of a sharp rise in ingredient prices to ensure appropriate budget execution.
Inmates are required to eat in their cells and have to wash their meal tray in the sink before returning it.
While meals comprising rice, soup, side dishes and kimchi are served for most days of the month, the inmates occasionally have different food, including cereals, cream, pork cutlet and tteokbokki — rice cakes cooked in a spicy gochujang sauce — as well.
The prison menu's disclosure sparked backlash, with some criticizing that alleged criminals are living better than many law-abiding citizens.
One online community member expressed that 'the former president, who is in custody, is being fed with decent meals, while I survive on two packs of instant noodles.'
'The meals that inmates get are surprisingly luxurious. Even the children at day care centers don't eat this well,' another anonymous netizen commented on a YouTube video, titled 'Yoon Suk Yeol's detention center meal plan.'
Though Yoon and Kim both receive the same meals as other inmates, both were assigned solitary cells given their status as the former presidential couple. The roughly 6.6-square-meter cell is furnished with a cabinet, television, sink, bathroom, foldable table and mattress.
The former presidential couple's showering and exercise times are reportedly scheduled so that they do not overlap with those of other inmates.
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Korea Herald
5 hours ago
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$1.25 jail meal has Koreans talking about ex-presidential couple
With former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee held in separate Seoul detention centers, public curiosity has zeroed in on the couple's daily life behind bars — particularly their $1.25 jail meals. The Justice Ministry revealed that three meals are provided per day for every inmate at the Seoul detention center, budgeted at 5,201 won. This amounts to approximately 1,730 won per meal. According to the monthly meal plan of the correctional authorities, Yoon is expected to have a 1,730 won ($1.25) jail meal consisting of beef and vegetable porridge with steamed potatoes and salt for Wednesday breakfast. Meals for lunch and dinner are served in a traditional Korean style with rice, soup, side dishes and kimchi. The detained former president, who has been in custody at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, since July 10, is scheduled to have braised chicken with seasoned dried seaweed and stew with soft tofu for Wednesday's lunch and dinner, respectively. Meanwhile, sliced white bread with strawberry jam, salad and sausage are available for the former first lady's Wednesday breakfast, according to the Korea Correctional Service. Kim will have pork kimchijjigae, or kimchi stew, and sweet and sour dumplings for her lunch, like any other inmate at the Seoul Southern Detention Center. Wednesday's dinner will be chilled cucumber and seaweed soup with rice and kimchi. Kim's attorneys have been telling the media that she wasn't eating well. The inmates are provided with nutritious meals totaling over 2,500 kcal per day. And no outside food is allowed. The ministry also explained that the quantities may be adjusted in the event of a sharp rise in ingredient prices to ensure appropriate budget execution. Inmates are required to eat in their cells and have to wash their meal tray in the sink before returning it. While meals comprising rice, soup, side dishes and kimchi are served for most days of the month, the inmates occasionally have different food, including cereals, cream, pork cutlet and tteokbokki — rice cakes cooked in a spicy gochujang sauce — as well. The prison menu's disclosure sparked backlash, with some criticizing that alleged criminals are living better than many law-abiding citizens. One online community member expressed that 'the former president, who is in custody, is being fed with decent meals, while I survive on two packs of instant noodles.' 'The meals that inmates get are surprisingly luxurious. Even the children at day care centers don't eat this well,' another anonymous netizen commented on a YouTube video, titled 'Yoon Suk Yeol's detention center meal plan.' Though Yoon and Kim both receive the same meals as other inmates, both were assigned solitary cells given their status as the former presidential couple. The roughly 6.6-square-meter cell is furnished with a cabinet, television, sink, bathroom, foldable table and mattress. The former presidential couple's showering and exercise times are reportedly scheduled so that they do not overlap with those of other inmates.
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