Court denies arrest warrant for ex-PM Hwang over alleged insurrection incitement

Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, left, speaks to reporters as he arrives at special counsel Cho Eun-suk's office in southern Seoul following his detention, Wednesday. Yonhap

A court on Friday denied a warrant to arrest former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on charges of inciting an insurrection following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law.

Hwang, who served under former President Park Geun-hye, made Facebook posts following Yoon's brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3 to call for rooting out pro-North Korea forces and those involved in alleged electoral fraud.

He also called for the arrest of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and then People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team detained Hwang at his home Wednesday and applied for a formal arrest warrant on charges of inciting an insurrection, obstructing official duties and obstructing the team's investigation.

The team suspects Hwang made the posts with the intention of inciting an insurrection as he was likely aware of the illegality of Yoon's martial law bid as a former prosecutor and justice minister.

The Seoul Central District Court denied the warrant, however, citing insufficient explanations for the need for his arrest, such as the risk he would flee or destroy evidence.

Still, evidence on the facts of the case appears to be considerable, it said.

Hwang was detained after he ignored three summonses from the special counsel team to appear for questioning. He had also refused to comply with two attempts to search his home.