The special counsel investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged insurrection and treason charges raided former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn's home on Oct. 27. Led by Special Counsel Cho Eun-seok, the team is probing whether Hwang incited rebellion through social media posts made after martial law was declared.
According to The Dong-A Ilbo, investigators suspect Hwang's Dec. 4 post on Facebook, urging the arrest of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, could be an attempt to undermine constitutional order. The post stated, "Arrest Speaker Woo. Arrest Han Dong-hoon, who obstructs the president's actions."
Authorities say Hwang's call to arrest the Assembly speaker, who has the authority to lift martial law, could be seen as advocating the suspension of a constitutional body, potentially qualifying as incitement to insurrection. Hwang was reported to police on Dec. 27 last year, and the case was later handed over to the special counsel.
The search at Hwang's Yongsan residence in central Seoul faced resistance after he refused to cooperate. A special counsel official said cases involving propaganda or incitement related to martial law fall under their jurisdiction.
Separately, Special Counsel Lee Myung-hyun, investigating the death of Marine Cpl. Chae, summoned former presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki as a witness over former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup's alleged flight to Australia.
The team also plans to question Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials chief Oh Dong-woon later this week over alleged dereliction of duty. The probe targets suspicions that the CIO delayed nearly a year in referring a perjury case against former CIO prosecutor Song Chang-jin to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. Both Oh and Deputy Chief Lee Jae-seung have been named as suspects.
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