People Power Party Files Complaint with Corruption Investigation Office for "Abuse of Authority and Illegal Arrest and Detention"... "Monstrous Illegal Investigation Office"

Filing a Complaint Against HOCIU Chief Oh Dongwoon and Others
HOCIU Lacks Authority to Investigate Treason
Execution of Illegally Issued Arrest Warrant... "Must Be Dissolved"

On the 15th, the People Power Party decided to file a complaint against the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (HOCIU), which is currently investigating President Yoon Seok-yeol, on charges of abuse of authority and illegal arrest and detention. The party members are also considering directly visiting HOCIU to protest.

On the same day, the People Power Party plans to submit a complaint to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against HOCIU Chief Oh Dong-woon and National Police Agency Investigation Headquarters Chief Woo Jong-su. The party claims that HOCIU, which does not have the authority to investigate treason, exceeded its jurisdiction by executing an arrest warrant against President Yoon. The ruling party collectively argued that HOCIU's execution of the arrest warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court was an "illegal and unlawful act."

On the early morning of the 15th, when the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol began, Kwon Young-se, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, spoke at an emergency emergency response committee meeting held at the National Assembly. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Unlike the first warrant, this arrest warrant did not specify an exception to the application of the provisions requiring institutional permission for searches of military or official secret locations (Criminal Procedure Act Articles 110 and 111), yet it was executed by HOCIU. Representative Kim Ki-hyun stated on his social media, "Not only did they conduct an illegal investigation and issue an illegal warrant against the sitting president, but they also shamelessly carried out an illegal arrest and arbitrarily intruded into a military secret area, setting a very bad precedent." He added, "The rule of law and democratic due process in this country have been trampled by the opposition party holding the overwhelming majority of seats and the faction loyal to the party leader they regard as a father."

Calls for the dissolution of HOCIU have also emerged. Representative Na Kyung-won said on social media, "It is a code investigation agency under the Democratic Party, a Korean version of the Gestapo, a monstrosity beyond a rooftop structure," adding, "It has become a tool for trampling the rule of law and usurping power. Through extralegal abuse of power, it has trampled on the rule of law and the spirit of the constitution." Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong also stated, "Lack of investigative authority, warrant shopping, illegal warrants, and illegal execution will surely be judged in the future," urging, "Since the president cooperated to prevent bloodshed among state institutions and protect the people, investigative agencies should conduct thorough investigations until the impeachment trial concludes, but must stop attempts to detain the sitting president."

There were also voices directly criticizing the arrest consent bill for lawmakers. Former Representative Cho Hae-jin pointed out, "Lawmakers can only be arrested with the consent of two-thirds of the National Assembly, but the president was arrested with just a judge's warrant," adding, "Lee Jae-myung, who received a prison sentence in the first trial, is freely walking around pretending to be president, while the president, who has not even been investigated, is forcibly dragged away and faces detention." He further criticized, "The people see that South Korea is being driven not by law but by the opposition's legislative dictatorship, leftist propaganda and agitation, collusion within the legal ideological circle, and opportunists' collaboration," and remarked, "They are witnessing with their own eyes the reality of South Korea, which appears normal on the outside but is rotten and decayed inside."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.