Former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his spouse under police investigation for embezzlement related to 'cat tower'
The police have begun an investigation into former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his spouse, who were reported for embezzlement and other charges after installing an expensive cat tower (a cat play facility) worth millions of won at their residence.
According to the police on the 13th, the Seocho Police Station in Seoul summoned Kim Sang-min, the Secretary-General of the Justice Solidarity, who filed the complaint against the former President and his spouse for embezzlement and theft, to investigate the circumstances of the complaint.
This complaint arose after Yoon and his spouse were filmed moving the cat tower and other items just one week after their removal from office on April 11th.
Kim confirmed this scene and four days later, on April 15th, submitted a complaint to the police, alleging that the former President and his spouse misappropriated state funds to purchase a cat tower worth 5 million won.
What are the legal issues surrounding the controversy of private removal of presidential office supplies?
The central issue in this case is whether the cat tower installed in the presidential residence was purchased using state funds, and whether the process of moving it to their private residence followed legal procedures.
According to the regulations on the management of presidential office supplies, items purchased with public funds are classified as state assets and cannot be removed for personal use.
Legal experts have stated, "If items purchased with public funds were removed for personal use, embezzlement charges may apply. However, if the items were purchased with personal funds or received as a donation, it may not be a problem."
Therefore, the police investigation is likely to focus on the source of the cat tower's purchase and the legality of the removal process.
Image source: On April 11, moving boxes belonging to former President Yoon are being transported to his residence, Acro Vista, located in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The former President departed from the Hanam-dong official residence to move to Seocho-dong on this day at 5 PM. 2025.4.11 / News1, Former President Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Gun-hee are waiting to vote at the 3rd polling place of Seocho 4-dong, set up at Wonmyung Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 3rd, the day of the 21st presidential election. 2025.6.3 / News1
