A close aide of former President Park Geun-hye has asked a court to review whether his arrest on the charge of abuse of power was approved for the right reasons, court sources said Tuesday.

Woo Byung-woo, an ex-senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, filed for a court review on the legality of the writ on Monday, according to the Seoul Central District Court. The review hearing on his arrest warrant will be held Thursday afternoon.

The 50-year-old former senior prosecutor was arrested on Dec. 15 for ordering the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to secretly keep tabs on government officials, including Lee Seok-su, then-special presidential inspector who was investigating Woo over suspected corruption.

He is also accused of involvement in the creation and management of a blacklist of artists and cultural figures deemed critical of the Park government. He served in his post in the presidential office from 2015-2016.

He was finally arrested after the prosecution's request for his warrant was denied by the court twice in February and April.

Woo has been seen as a key figure in the influence-peddling case that led to Park's ouster from office in March. He has already been standing trial without detention on charges that he overlooked and tried to cover up the scandal and that he abused his power to block an investigation into the Park government's mishandling of the 2014 ferry sinking that killed more than 300 passengers. (Yonhap)

The photo filed Dec. 21, 2017, shows Woo Byung-woo, former senior presidential secretary to then-President Park Geun-hye for civil affairs bound with ropes, walking into the courthouse to attend his trial. (Yonhap)
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