Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Major Crimes Unit [Yonhap News] 

Police have launched a forced investigation into a conservative media outlet that published conspiracy theories regarding Kim Hyun-ji, the Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs.

According to a comprehensive report from Yonhap News on the 3rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Financial Crimes Investigation Unit is currently conducting searches and seizures at the offices of Hanmi Ilbo in Mapo-gu and its publisher, identified as Mr. Huh. It is reported that Mr. Huh's mobile phone was also among the items seized.

This search and seizure operation follows a complaint filed in October last year by the National Communication Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea.

The committee accused Hanmi Ilbo of publishing articles containing unsubstantiated false information about Secretary Kim, including allegations of an extramarital affair, illegitimate children, and misuse of state funds. They filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against the media outlet and the article's author for violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc.

Hanmi Ilbo is known to be a publication founded by Mr. Huh after he left the online media outlet Sky Daily.

Mr. Huh is the individual who reported on January 16th last year, during the impeachment period, that 'martial law forces had arrested 99 Chinese spies and transported them to a US military base in Okinawa, Japan, and that during interrogation, they confessed to all charges of election interference.'

The National Election Commission refuted the claims, stating they were "clear false facts," and requested a police investigation. In July last year, the police forwarded Mr. Huh and Mr. Cho, who was the CEO of Sky Daily at the time, to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office without detention on charges of obstruction of justice by means of deception and violation of the Basic Act on Telecommunications.