Justice Ministry refutes report that Park Geun-hye’s health in decline

The Justice Ministry on Thursday refuted a news report that detained former President Park Geun-hye is in declining health and has been skipping meals.

In a statement, the Ministry of Justice said that Park exercises at an allotted time every day, except Sundays, and has been taking a standard amount of food, without skipping meals.

The former president has been held at Seoul Detention Center since March 31, 2017.

On Wednesday, Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo reported that Park has shut herself in her solitary confinement cell and is suffering from declining health.

For the past several months, Park has not been coming out to exercise and is spending more days in her cell, often skipping meals, the news report claimed. Prison guards frequently check on her and report her status to her attorneys, it added.

However, the Justice Ministry said no unusual activities have been observed.

“She also has food she buys with her own money,” the ministry said. “The Seoul Detention Center is taking appropriate measures (for Park), according to the Administration and Treatment of Correctional Institution Inmates Act, and prison guards have not expressed such worries.”

In August, an appellate court sentenced Park to 25 years in prison on corruption charges. She also received separate six- and two-year sentences for other charges including violation of the election law. She was impeached and ousted from office in March 2017.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)