Special Prosecutor Raids Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn Over Civil War Propaganda Claims

Special prosecutor Park Ji-young’s team conducted a raid on former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn’s residence on October 27th as part of an investigation into allegations of “incitement of civil war propaganda.” The investigation centers on statements made by Hwang during the controversial emergency decree declared on December 3rd last year.

The special prosecutor’s office explained that their authority extends to investigating cases of “murder, conspiracy, and propaganda aimed at establishing detention facilities or inciting civil war.” This raid marks a significant escalation in the probe examining the actions of high-profile political figures during the emergency decree period.

According to investigators, Hwang posted several provocative statements on his Facebook page when the emergency decree was announced. Among them were calls to “arrest National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik” and “arrest Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People’s Power Party, who is directly interfering with the president’s action.” He also wrote that “the pro-North Korean faction and fraudulent election forces that have destroyed the country must be eradicated this time” and urged that “the power of the people should go with the president.”

These statements prompted the Internet media outlet Seoul Sound to file a formal complaint with police against Hwang, accusing him of propaganda and incitement. The complaint has now been transferred to the special prosecutor’s office as part of its broader investigation into potential constitutional violations during the emergency decree.

The special prosecutor’s team intends to analyze materials seized during the raid to reconstruct Hwang’s activities during the declaration of martial law. Of particular interest to investigators is whether there was any coordination or collusion between Hwang and former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Given Hwang’s high-ranking position in political circles, investigators believe he may have communicated with key figures suspected of involvement in what some have characterized as an attempted rebellion.

This investigation comes amid ongoing political tensions in South Korea, where the emergency decree of last December remains a deeply divisive issue. Critics have argued that the decree represented an unconstitutional power grab, while supporters maintain it was a necessary response to a national security threat.

In parallel developments, Special Prosecutor Kim Gun-hee has begun reorganizing personnel to expedite the conclusion of related investigations. Kim appointed lawyers Park No-soo and Kim Kyung-ho, both former judges, as new special prosecutors and received additional senior prosecutors to strengthen the investigative team.

At a brief press appearance at the special prosecutor’s office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Special Prosecutor Park stated, “We will listen to the public’s concerns and help Special Prosecutor Kim gain momentum and produce results.” Kim echoed this sentiment, pledging to “do our best to give results that the public can understand.”

The team’s personnel changes come after some controversy, with senior prosecutor Kim Il-kwon and another prosecutor being dispatched to replace senior prosecutor Moon Hyun-hyuk. Moon was removed from the investigation after allegations surfaced that he had met privately with Lee Jong-ho, former CEO of Black Pearl Invest and a key figure in the Deutsche Motors case, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

The special prosecutor’s office faces mounting pressure to conclude these investigations with clear findings that can help restore public confidence in South Korea’s democratic institutions after a period of significant political turbulence.

As the investigation proceeds, political observers note that its outcome could have far-reaching implications for South Korea’s political landscape and set important precedents regarding the limits of political speech during national emergencies.