Video misrepresented as recent South Korean police raid triggered by pro-Yoon banner
- Published on May 15, 2026 at 08:02
- Updated on May 15, 2026 at 10:28
- 4 min read
- By Hawon Jung, AFP South Korea
The ensuing turmoil caused by jailed former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid continues to trigger misinformation, including a video that social media posts falsely claim shows an April 2026 raid on a home displaying a pro-Yoon banner. The video comprises clips that previously circulated in January 2026 in YouTube livestreams, while similar footage was aired in a news report about a police raid that was part of an investigation into the illegal use of political donations.
"(Police) raid on a family home simply for hanging a 'Yoon Again' banner," says the Korean-language caption of a Threads clip shared on April 29, 2026.
The minute-long clip begins with three people in dark suits entering a flat, with a person filming the scene saying off-camera: "This is a situation where they forcibly opened the door."
It then cuts to still frames of several individuals, including the three seen earlier, loading a blue box -- typically used by law enforcement to carry confiscated items -- into a van apparently parked outside the building.
The clip ends with an interview with a middle-aged man speaking about personal freedom and human rights in front of the same building.
The claim was also shared in similar Threads, Instagram and X posts, with some using the same footage or screenshots alongside the title, "Today's news in South Korea".
"Police raid on the home of an ordinary person simply for hanging a banner at her home?" read a comment on one of the posts.
Another said: "Is this really a possible reality?"
The posts began surfacing in late April when a South Korean court handed Yoon -- already sentenced to life in prison in February for leading an insurrection -- an additional seven years in jail in a separate trial for obstruction of justice (archived here and here).
Yoon has appealed both verdicts.
The then-president declared martial law in December 2024 while raising the spectre of North Korean influence and "anti-state forces", but the suspension of civilian rule lasted only about six hours as lawmakers raced to the assembly building to vote it down in an emergency session.
In subsequent months, Yoon was impeached, removed from power and put on trial over a litany of allegations connected to his proclamation.
Yoon's downfall divided the nation as his supporters took to the streets to protest against his impeachment and repeated widely disproven far-right claims of vote hacking promoted by Yoon himself.
Many protestors carried banners emblazoned with "Yoon Again" -- a slogan reflecting supporters' demand for his return to power.
The circulating footage, however, does not show police raiding a home because it was displaying a "Yoon Again" banner, and is another example of the kind of online misinformation that has flooded social media as South Korea faced a year of crisis following Yoon's martial law declaration.
Livestreamed raid
A reverse image search led to similar footage shared in a Threads post from January 27 (archived link).
Its caption says: "Patriotic Banner chief Kim Mi-Young forced to open door... and words from a lawyer."
"Patriotic Banner" is a civic group known for hanging street banners in support of Yoon or carrying anti-Chinese messages and election-rigging conspiracy theories (archived link).
On January 27, the group's Threads account issued an "emergency announcement" revealing Kim's home address south of Seoul and urging YouTubers to livestream the scene of an upcoming police raid (archived link).
Several livestreams shared on YouTube -- all described as showing a police raid on Kim's residence -- captured officials entering a first-floor flat and leaving two hours later carrying a large blue box marked "Police".
The middle-aged man shown being interviewed was identified as a local lawyer whose Facebook page is filled with posts about election-rigging conspiracy theories and prayers for US President Donald Trump (archived link).
In 2025, the national election commission requested authorities investigate Kim and the leader of Tomorrow and Future, a fringe far-right party she had collaborated with, for using unregistered or personal bank accounts to accept donations and to use some of the funds to pay for banners -- in violation of political finance laws (archived link).
The police raid on Kim's home was also covered by media outlets including MBC TV, which aired footage matching the falsely shared clip and YouTube livestreams (archived here, here and here).
In its January 27 Threads post, Patriotic Banner also announced it could "no longer collaborate" with Tomorrow and Future, urging supporters to stop sending donations to the party.
The police confirmed the January raid on Kim's home, when contacted by AFP on May 13, but declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Kim did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.
AFP has previously debunked other misleading claims that surfaced following Yoon's impeachment.
Updates throughout for clarityMay 15, 2026 Updates throughout for clarity
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