Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has been arrested by the special counsel team investigating the December 3 martial law declaration.

Legal sources said Wednesday that the team, led by special counsel Cho Eun-suk, had entered Hwang's residence in Seoul in the morning and took the former prime minister into custody.

The investigators also searched Hwang's home and seized evidence.
 
Hwang can now be held in detention for up to 48 hours, where investigators plan to question him about whether he advocated and incited insurrection. 

The former prime minister has previously been summoned for questioning three times but did not comply. If a suspect ignores three summonses without a valid reason, authorities may consider coercive measures such as arrest.

Hwang made Facebook posts on December 3 of last year, the day former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, calling for the elimination of pro-North Korea forces and those involved in election fraud, whom he said had destroyed the country.
 
Legislation passed following the martial law incident authorized investigators to look into alleged acts such as recommending the declaration, preparing detention facilities and inciting insurrection.