Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant Wednesday for Song Young-gil, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), in an investigation into a cash-for-votes scandal surrounding the party's 2021 leadership election.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office requested the warrant five days after Song was questioned on charges of bribery and illegal political funding.
Prosecutors launched the investigation in April into allegations that Song's campaign distributed cash envelopes totaling 66 million won (US$50,201) to sitting DP lawmakers and other party members in the run-up to the party's leadership election in May 2021, which he ultimately won.
Prosecutors suspect Song's involvement in the handout of the suspected cash envelopes.
Suspicions against Song also include that he took 763 million won in illegal political funds around that time via his support group, the Research Institute for Peace & Livelihood.
Song has squarely denied the allegations, accusing prosecutors of "a politically orchestrated investigation" targeting him.