How is the deposed South Korean president in prison?

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye is likely to be kept in an isolated cell and forced to give up her hair-bun habit.

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Photo: Reuters

South Korean court today issued an arrest warrant for former presidentPark Geun-hye after she was impeached for allegedly colluding with her close friend Choi Soon-sil to collect millions of dollars from the country's major conglomerates.Both Park and Choi have denied any wrongdoing.

Ms. Park was taken to the Seoul Detention Center, on the outskirts of Seoul. The 65-year-old former president could be detained for 20 days while she is investigated, according to Reuters.

Ms Park is likely to be held in a larger cell than the 6.56 square meter cell occupied by those implicated in her scandal, including Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong.

"I think Park will be in a better facility," said former prosecutor Kim Kyung-soo, who questioned former presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo after they were arrested in 1995 on corruption and treason charges. "She will be in a bigger cell than the others."

Ms. Park was taken to the detention center.

Ms. Park may stay in a single cell in an isolated building for security reasons, to prevent her from coming into contact with other inmates, former prosecutors and prison officials said, but she will be subject to the same rules as everyone else, from meals to room monitoring.

That includes waking up at 6:30 a.m. and going to bed at 9 p.m. Inmates are allowed to watch television, but only one channel with pre-recorded programs censored by the South Korean Ministry of Justice.

The number of visitors per day is limited, but prisoners are allowed unlimited visits with their lawyers.

The Korea Correctional Service, which runs South Korea’s prisons and detention centers, lists meals that provide 2,500 calories a day. According to that list, Park will have her first prison meal today, which will be bean sprouts, cabbage soup and seaweed, costing $1.30.

Four months of turmoil led to the impeachment of the South Korean president.

One habit Ms. Park may have to give up is her trademark bun hairstyle.Since taking office, Ms. Park has never appeared in public without her hair neatly tied up.

"Having someone from outside the prison do her hair is an unfair act among prisoners," Kim said. "It will be very difficult for Ms. Park's side to convince prison officials that they need someone from outside to do her hair."

There are hairdressers in the prison, but services are limited to haircuts. Cosmetics at the prison include only basic products such as toners and moisturizers, but no hair dye. Ms. Park will not be allowed to keep hairpins, lawyers said.

Park Geun-hye's hairstyle. Photo: Reuters

Lee Soon-gil, 77, a former Justice Ministry official who headed the Seoul Detention Center where Roh was held, said the former president was given a larger cell with a separate bathroom and toilet, while other prisoners had only a sink and toilet in their cells.

Lee said staff then redesigned an old cell, adding a desk and bed for the former president, but the cell was still checked daily like everyone else.“She will be treated equally like anyone else,” he said of Ms Park.

Samsung chief Lee's cell has no shower, just a sink and a mattress on the floor to sleep on.

"She is 65 years old, so considering her age and gender, she will receive more attention, but for now, she will undergo a thorough investigation regardless of her age and status as a former president."

According to VNE