“Made 2 Billion Won in One Year in Prison,” PPP Lawmaker Retorts: “If You’re Jealous, Go There Yourself”

At the Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s CIO Audit on the 13th
Kwak Gyutaek Bursts Out Laughing at People Power Party Lawmaker Kim Minje’s Remarks

After criticism was raised during a parliamentary audit over former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s prison account funds, which amounted to as much as 2 billion won, People Power Party lawmaker Kim Minjeon shot back, “If you’re jealous, go there yourself.”

People Power Party lawmaker Kim Minjeon, who hit back at Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Seo Younggyo. Kim Minjeon's social media (SNS)

At the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s audit of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on October 13, People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jinwoo asked CIO Chief Oh Dongwoon whether the agency was properly investigating alleged influence-peddling involving Kim Hyunji, chief of the presidential office’s administrative secretariat, and Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hunsik.

Referring to the CIO’s past investigation of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Oh replied, “Even if someone is the sitting president, if there is a need to investigate them in connection with crimes by high-ranking public officials, I will do so actively and without bias.”

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Seo Younggyo, chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, criticized Joo, saying, “How can you ask such an absurd question?” and, “I can’t understand how you could have served as a prosecutor like that. If you say something and it turns out to be wrong, you should know when to back down.”

She then told Oh, “You did well to arrest Yoon Suk Yeol,” and criticized him, saying, “The president got that far because the aides stood by while he sat in office and did all sorts of things he shouldn’t have done.”

She asked, “Does it make sense that Yoon Suk Yeol made 2 billion won in just one year in prison?” Kim shot back, “If you’re jealous, go there yourself.” Kwak Gyutaek, a People Power Party lawmaker seated next to Kim, echoed her, saying, “She said, ‘If you’re jealous, go there,’” and burst out laughing.

Kim posted an edited video of the exchange on her social media (SNS), writing, “‘Does it make sense that Yoon Suk Yeol made 2 billion won in just one year in prison?’ That’s what Committee Chair Seo Younggyo said at today’s parliamentary audit.”

She said, “If you’re jealous, go there yourself. The CIO arrested a former president by going so far as to shop for an arrest warrant, and indicted a sitting judge over allegations of providing alcohol entertainment worth 1 million won per person. Yet it stays quiet in front of Special Prosecutor Min Joongki.” She added, “The same CIO, different standards,” and criticized the agency, saying, “Instead of mocking the feelings people have expressed, it should first fix the justice system as it crumbles.”

Meanwhile, the total prison account funds held by former President Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, which Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Seongyun recently disclosed, were confirmed to amount to 2.19 billion won. That is about eight times this year’s presidential salary of more than 270 million won.

Since being rearrested on July 10, 2025, former President Yoon had received about 1.95 billion won in prison account funds through September 9 this year. Kim Keon Hee had received about 240 million won over the same period, after being arrested on August 12, 2025.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.