Yoon Seok-yeol, the former President, Controversy Over Use of 'Water Bomb' for a Week After Impeachment

It has been confirmed that former President Yoon Seok-yeol used over 228 tons of water while staying at the official residence for a week after being impeached by the Constitutional Court on the 4th.

This amount is equivalent to 75 times the typical usage of a two-person household, raising controversies over excessive public resource use.

According to data submitted to Assemblyman Kim Young-hwan of the Democratic Party of Korea from the Seoul Water Authority on the 16th, it was confirmed that the former President and his spouse used a total of 228.36 tons of tap water at the official residence from the 4th to the 10th.

They consumed daily between 28 tons and as much as 39 tons of water, and the total water bill during this period was recorded at 746,240 KRW. Former President Yoon left the official residence on the 11th.

Discrepancy in Usage Compared to Average Households, Controversy Over Waste of Tax Money

According to the 'Seoul Water 2023' report published by the Seoul City government last July, the average daily water usage for a two-person household is 436 kg, which translates to approximately 3.05 tons per week. The water usage of the former President and his spouse is 75 times that amount.

Assemblyman Kim inquired about the former President's electricity usage and charges with Korea Electric Power Corporation, but the corporation responded that "it is difficult to submit information in accordance with the Law on Public Agency Information Disclosure."

Assemblyman Kim pointed out, "Although former President Yoon became a private citizen immediately after impeachment, he unlawfully occupied the state facility of the presidential residence and used public funds without any burden." He emphasized, "This is a typical case of privatizing public authority and facilities, necessitating thorough investigation and accountability."

It appears that the public utilities used by the former President and his spouse during this period will ultimately be paid for by taxes, leading to a burden on the citizens.

This controversy is further exacerbated by allegations that the former President and his spouse installed a cat tower worth millions of KRW and a cypress bathtub worth tens of millions of KRW using national funds when they moved the presidential residence to Hannam-dong in Seoul in 2022, and later took these items with them upon their departure.

Experts have pointed out that the excessive use of public resources even after being impeached demonstrates a lack of responsibility expected of a public official. Additionally, there are voices calling for the establishment of institutional measures to ensure transparency during the departure process and prevent similar cases in the future.

Image sources: Former President Yoon Seok-yeol and First Lady Kim Gun-hee / Presidential Office, materials for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank; Former President Yoon Seok-yeol and First Lady Kim Gun-hee leaving the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 11th, a week after the Constitutional Court's impeachment decision. (Joint coverage) 2025.4.11 / News1