A major controversy has erupted after it was revealed that former 707th Special Mission Unit Commander Kim Hyun-tae, who is serving a 12-year sentence for leading an infiltration of the National Assembly, withdrew over 20 million won in prison deposits in just ten days. This averages out to 2 million won per day, sparking public outrage over the clever tactics used to bypass the legal 4-million-won deposit limit.

The mechanism behind this 'bottomless' deposit fund was as simple as it was calculated. As supporters actively promoted Kim's deposit account, asking for donations instead of letters, money poured in. While current law limits prison deposit accounts to a maximum of 4 million won, Kim used a method of transferring the funds to an external private bank account as soon as his prison account hit the limit. He exploited a structural loophole that allowed him to refill the account with donations once the balance was cleared.

This situation goes beyond the actions of a single inmate; it has exposed a legal loophole that allows high-profile politicians and power-abusing criminals to use detention centers as a safe haven to collect unlimited funds. As historical precedents of former presidents and high-ranking officials gathering hundreds of millions or even billions of won in deposits through the same method are brought to light, there is growing demand for stricter institutional regulations. It remains to be seen what measures the Ministry of Justice will take against these schemes, which allow inmates to enjoy privileges through the power of money even while serving their sentences.

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