Yoon Seok-yeol's Disclosure of Fundraising and Victim Image Strategy

Introduction: What Does the Disclosure of the Former President's Jail Account Imply?

Former President Yoon Seok-yeol's detention at the Seoul Detention Center has led to controversies surrounding him rising to a central political agenda. In particular, the incident where lawyer Kim Gye-ri publicly disclosed Yoon's account number for his prison funds on her social media, stating that he is 'unable to buy anything without a single penny,' carries political implications that go beyond a mere appeal for the difficulties of prison life. This act cannot simply be viewed as an emotional expression from a lawyer it contains an intention to convey a specific message to the public. At the same time, there is increasing criticism that such expressions serve as political tools to obscure the legal responsibilities of a suspect in custody while highlighting a victim image. This article aims to analyze the situation as an extension of a political image strategy and to explore the underlying issues from multiple perspectives.

Exaggerated appeals that deviate from legal procedures and equity

Attorney Kim Gye-ri mentioned former President Yoon's life in prison, expressing that he is incarcerated without a single penny and unable to purchase even necessary items. Accordingly, the account number of the deposit fund registered under Yoon Seok-youl's name at the Seoul Detention Center was made public, and the account reached its maximum limit of 4 million won within a day. This is the limit set for individual inmate funds according to the Ministry of Justice's guidelines, and any excess deposit will be kept separately. The disclosure of this deposit account was carried out within legally permissible procedures, but it raises issues of fairness compared to ordinary inmates. For typical inmates, family members or acquaintances quietly send the necessary amounts, but in the case of a former president, critiques have been raised regarding the political nature of soliciting voluntary support from the public through a publicly disclosed account. While the deposit fund system serves as a means of survival for inmates facing economic difficulties, the fact that an amount exceeding the limit was amassed within a day of the account's disclosure indicates a disconnect with the claimed economic hardship. Additionally, Attorney Kim Gye-ri raised concerns about prison conditions from the beginning, stating that "there is no air conditioning, no refrigerator, and no exercise time." However, the Ministry of Justice responded that former President Yoon, like ordinary inmates, is provided with one hour of outdoor exercise per day and that the entire Seoul Detention Center lacks air conditioning, applying the same standards to all inmates. Ultimately, some claims made by the attorney regarding prison treatment have been found to be inaccurate or exaggerated, and the public discourse unfolding in this manner can only be interpreted as messages based on emotional justification.

Repeated victim frames and distortion of the rule of law

Attorney Kim Gye-ri continued to deny the legitimacy of the investigation, stating, "It's not like they embezzled thousands of billions, nor did they misappropriate anything." This is a classic example of reasoning that obscures the essence, as the issue at hand is not "how much was embezzled" but rather "what illegal actions were taken." Currently, former President Yoon faces serious charges including violations of the Public Official Election Act, abuse of power, and dissemination of false information, which can be established regardless of whether personal benefits were obtained. The claim that "being angry is a crime" is similarly flawed. The mere expression of emotions is not subject to punishment. However, if statements made in the capacity of a former president are based on falsehoods or have socially impactful consequences in a manner that resists legal processes, then this could lead to legal liability. Nonetheless, the former president's side has avoided these critical issues, replacing the essence of the investigation with emotional appeals. This strategy bears a striking resemblance to the "political retaliation" framework that frequently emerged during the judicial proceedings of former presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak. The slogan of "political retaliation" effectively pulls legal judgments into the realm of political conflict. However, this special investigation was initiated with the consent of the National Assembly, and the investigation is conducted under clear judicial decision-making, making it difficult to simply dismiss as a matter of political dispute. Still, the former president's side continues to present a victim image while attempting to conceal fundamental legal responsibilities.

Clouding the essence through public opinion warfare

The disclosure of accounts by former President Yoon Seok-yeol carries implications beyond a mere appeal for the treatment of inmates. It can be seen as a political signal indicating the start of a public opinion campaign, functioning as a means to rally significant sympathy and support through publicly disclosed accounts, unlike ordinary inmates. This approach mobilizes public sentiment through emotional appeals and serves to distract from the core issues of the actual investigation. Particularly, the investigation of former President Yoon involves serious matters threatening constitutional order, such as election interference, abuse of power, and leaking of official secrets. However, peripheral elements like the disclosure of accounts, the emphasis on the suffering of incarceration, and the rebuttal of treatment by the Ministry of Justice are overshadowing discussions about substantive charges. This can be interpreted as a phenomenon where political techniques, such as coordinating political messages and engaging in public opinion warfare, erode the realm of the rule of law. It is not new for politicians to emphasize their grievances and utilize sympathy during the investigative process. However, the problem arises when these means become excessively emotional and inflammatory, which raises concerns about fairness in the intention to influence judicial judgment. The case of former President Yoon should be viewed as an effort to construct a political narrative of a 'former president under investigation' that goes beyond personal grievances.

Conclusion: Emotional Strategies that Cloud Equality Before the Law

The disclosure of former President Yoon Seok-yeol's custody account and his appeal regarding prison life appear to be a way of communicating personal hardships on the surface, but they can be seen as part of a political image-building strategy in reality. The custody fund system is open to all detainees, and there must be a distinction between investigation and treatment. The Ministry of Justice applies the same standards as for ordinary detainees, and claims related to the treatment of detainees have already been refuted through multiple fact-checks. Nevertheless, former President Yoon's side actively utilizes emotional expressions such as 'injustice,' 'rage,' and 'oppression,' diverting public attention to external issues unrelated to the essence of the investigation. This strategy can be interpreted as an attempt to evade legal responsibilities based on political interests, resulting in the undermining of the judicial principle of equality before the law. Legal responsibilities should apply to former presidents just as they do to ordinary citizens, and emotional framing of the inconveniences or constraints that arise in the process only damages public trust in judicial justice. It is a time for the principles of the rule of law, emphasizing facts rather than emotions and responsibility rather than sympathy, to be reaffirmed once again.