Prosecutors launched a raid on the unification and science ministries as they continue to investigate allegations that the previous Moon Jae-in administration forced state institution chiefs to resign in connection with the so-called “blacklist scandal.”

At 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, investigators from the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office began their sweep of the Ministry of Unification in central Seoul, the Ministry of Science and ICT in Sejong and two state institutions under the ministries.

The team was reportedly securing materials related to the personnel management of the agency chiefs.

The latest seizures are a part of the investigation into the “blacklist scandal” that centers on allegations that the Moon administration forced the resignations of the directors of several public institutions, all of whom were appointed during the Park Geun-hye administration preceding Moon’s.

In June, prosecutors had requested an arrest warrant for Paik Un-gyu, the former government's industry minister, after determining that he had compelled the heads of 13 firms in the energy sector to resign while he was in charge of the ministry.