Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is expressing his resolve on a YouTube broadcast on the 24th, stating after reporting the search and seizure, "I see their intention to bury me, but I will fight with my life to protect liberal democracy and defend a free Republic of Korea with the people." / Captured from YouTube channel 'Hwang Kyo-ahn TV'. 

The police are once again inviting controversy over political retaliation investigations by launching search and seizure operations against current and former executives of the "Anti-Corruption and Election Irregularity Prevention Brigade (Bu-bang-dae)." 

Following the police's initial controversial search and seizure of the newly formed "Liberty and Innovation Party" headquarters, which had only been officially registered for two days, in August, the police have now forcibly searched the homes of former and current Bu-bang-dae executives, who are reportedly witnesses, seizing mobile phones and other items. 

According to Hwang Kyo-ahn's YouTube channel and Bu-bang-dae officials on the 24th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Division, which has been investigating Bu-bang-dae for alleged illegal election campaigning, began forced searches of Bu-bang-dae executives nationwide around 7 AM today, confiscating their mobile phones. 

Previously, Bu-bang-dae strongly protested, calling the police's forced search during the first operation a violation that significantly exceeded the scope of the search warrant, and filed criminal complaints against all responsible individuals. 

Notably, the evidence presented by the police at the time as pertaining to Bu-bang-dae representative Hwang Kyo-ahn were all considered evidence of irregularities by the Central Election Commission, sparking controversy over the political nature of the investigation. Suspicions arose that by investigating only the citizens raising issues, while excluding the election authorities who were the actual subjects of the investigation, the police were attempting to cover up the circumstances of irregularities and silence dissent. 

Lawyers Kwon Oh-yong and Park Joo-hyun, who were the Incheon Chapter Chairman of the Liberty and Innovation Party and legal advisors to the party at the time, strongly questioned the police's separate investigation, stating, "The police illegally searched the party headquarters even though Bu-bang-dae had already moved elsewhere and had no relation to it when former Prime Minister Hwang ran for president." 

Meanwhile, the police, who are investigating the same case, are causing significant disruption to Bu-bang-dae's planned events across the country by conducting search and seizure operations of personal belongings at the homes of Bu-bang-dae executives scattered nationwide on the 24th. 

According to Yonhap News, those whose mobile phones were seized were reportedly not suspects but witnesses. This has led to criticism that the police are excessively forcing investigations on those who were assisting former Prime Minister Hwang in an attempt to contrive charges against him. 

In a phone call with this evening, a Bu-bang-dae executive stated, "Search and seizures were conducted on Bu-bang-dae executives in various locations such as Goyang-si, Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, Busan, and Incheon starting from 7 AM," adding, "I heard that for one executive, three police officers came to their house and demanded their phone, another executive was raided during their meal, and yet another executive was threatened with the fire department being called to force open their door." The executive further added, "Since the individuals concerned are unreachable, we cannot accurately ascertain the number of people affected," and "We have tentatively identified around five executives as targets." 

Former Prime Minister Hwang took to social media (SNS) today to announce the news of the police's forced investigation, stating, "Another Bu-bang-dae search and seizure has been carried out today. This time at the home of the Bu-bang-dae Gyeonggi Province Chairman." In another post, he vehemently condemned the actions, saying, "This is not an investigation for investigation's sake. It is an act of intimidation to capture me, Hwang Kyo-ahn," and "This is an illegal retaliatory investigation aimed at cracking down on Bu-bang-dae, which has fought against election irregularities." 

The police have been investigating Hwang Kyo-ahn on suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act, alleging that he used the nationwide Bu-bang-dae organization for election campaigning when he ran as an independent candidate in the 21st presidential election. 

However, former Prime Minister Hwang stated through a YouTube video that "The evidence presented by the police during the search and seizure in August were all evidence of election irregularities by the Central Election Commission, yet they are investigating Bu-bang-dae instead of the Election Commission." He sharply criticized the investigation, saying, "Investigating citizens who raise suspicions of election irregularities and myself is no different from the indiscriminate investigations of former President Trump and his supporters during the Biden administration in the US, shooting ourselves in the foot." 

He then issued a grave warning regarding the two instances of police forced searches, stating, "I can see their intention, their motive, to bury me. However, I will not be buried. I will fight with my life to protect liberal democracy. I will be dead before I am buried. I will defend a free Republic of Korea with our people." 

On August 20th, the police caused controversy by forcibly searching the headquarters of the new party, Liberty and Innovation, with a search and seizure warrant for Bu-bang-dae. At the time, as the police strictly controlled the press, party officials strongly protested, stating that public authority should not obstruct access to a political party. / The Hanmi Ilbo.