Prosecutors on Wednesday raided the homes of three key suspects in an alleged money-for-nomination scandal that has rocked the ruling Saenuri Party ahead of December's presidential election.

The scandal centers on suspicions that Rep. Hyun Young-hee of the Saenuri Party secured a proportional representation seat in April's general elections after paying 300 million won (US$265,910) to Hyun Ki-hwan, then a member of the party's candidate nomination committee.

Prosecutors said they simultaneously raided two houses belonging to Hyun, in Seoul and the southeastern city of Busan, Rep. Hyun's home in Seoul and the home of a financial executive who works for the lawmaker's husband.

The search came after prosecutors secured the phone records of Cho Ki-moon, a former official of the party's Busan branch, which showed he called the former nomination committee member on March 15.

The phone call is seen as a key link in the case because a former aide to Rep. Hyun has told prosecutors he delivered the cash to Cho at a train station in Seoul on that day. In addition, during a search of Cho's home last Saturday, prosecutors said they secured a Louis Vuitton bag into which he allegedly placed the cash received at the train station.

Both Hyuns have appeared before prosecutors for questioning and flatly refuted the allegations. Despite a shared last name, the lawmaker and the former nomination committee member are not related.

Prosecutors also said they plan to request warrants to detain Rep. Hyun and Cho as early as this week.

The lawmaker faces multiple charges, including giving 20 million won in illegal political funds to Hong Joon-pyo, a former chairman of the Saenuri Party, and paying volunteers during her election campaign, which is banned by law. (Yonhap)