From S Korean president to prisoner 503

Ousted South Korean president Park Geun-Hye is now just prisoner 503, incarcerated in a spartan cell while prosecutors decide whether to indict her over a corruption scandal that precipitated her fall from grace.

The former head of state spent her first night in solitary confinement at Seoul Detention Centre after a court Friday ordered her to be held pending charges.

She had her mugshot taken and was given a prison kit including toiletries, a meal tray and a quilt, reports said.

After being processed like any other prisoner, Park, 65, was assigned a 10.6 square metre (114 square feet) solitary cell, larger than the average 6.5 square metre cell, Yonhap news agency said.

"After taking a bath, she changed into green-coloured winter-season prison garb" an official of the Justice Ministry was quoted as saying by the Joongang Ilbo daily.

The chest of Park's uniform was emblazoned with her prison number -- 503 -- by which she will be known during her incarceration.

Park burst into tears as guards showed her to her cell, TV Chosun said, quoting unidentified sources.

Prosecutors have yet to specify formal charges against her, but previously said she is suspected of bribery, abuse of authority and leaking government secrets.