'Insurrection Incitement' Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn's Arrest Warrant Dismissed... 'Insufficient Grounds for Detention'

According to Financial News, Hwang Kyo-ahn, former Prime Minister of South Korea, who was accused of inciting Yoon Suk Yeol's December 3 martial law declaration, has avoided detention.
On the 14th, Jungho Park, the judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, dismissed the arrest warrant for Hwang Kyo-ahn, who faced charges of inciting insurrection, obstructing official duties, and violating the Special Prosecutor Act (obstruction of investigation).
Hwang Kyo-ahn was accused of posting messages inciting martial law after Yoon Suk Yeol declared it last year. In his posts, Hwang stated, "We must eradicate the pro-North Korean Juche faction and those involved in election fraud that have ruined the country," and, "The forces behind election fraud must be rooted out this time. Arrest Woo Won-shik, the Speaker of the National Assembly. Arrest Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, who is directly obstructing the President's actions." The Special Prosecutor's Team for Insurrection, led by Cho Eun-seok, determined that Hwang, despite his experience as a public security prosecutor, Minister of Justice (MOJ), and Prime Minister of South Korea, should have recognized the illegality of martial law but instead posted supportive and inciting messages.
Previously, the Special Prosecutor Team attempted to search Hwang's residence, but he refused by locking the door, preventing the execution of the warrant. Although they requested Hwang's appearance for questioning three times via text message and written notice, he did not comply, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant and his subsequent arrest at home.
The Special Prosecutor Team included charges of obstructing official duties and investigation, arguing that Hwang hindered the investigation by refusing to comply with a lawful warrant. On the 3rd, after the failed search, Hwang revealed the names of the judges who issued the warrant on his social networking service (SNS), criticizing it as an 'illegal warrant.' The Special Prosecutor Team claimed that Hwang, who had not directly seen the warrant, obtained and disclosed the judges' names through unspecified means and publicly criticized them, thereby undermining judicial order and justifying the need for his detention.
However, since the court did not approve Hwang's detention, the Special Prosecutor Team's investigation has been immediately hampered. Following the dismissal of arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, the failure to detain Hwang means he will be investigated without detention for now. The Special Prosecutor Team plans to consider reapplying for an arrest warrant for Hwang after further investigation.

[email protected] Jung Kyung-soo Reporter