Prosecutors said Friday they were seeking an arrest warrant for an aide to a brother of President Lee Myung-bak on suspicion of taking bribes from local businessmen in return for influence peddling.
The aide, surnamed Park, was accused of taking about 700 million won ($619,000) in cash and an expensive watch from two businessmen in return for his help in salvaging a troubled business group facing closure.
Park is an aide to Lee Sang-deuk, a brother of President Lee and a lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party.
One of the businessmen, Lee Kuk-chul, chairman of SLS Group, allegedly asked Park to peddle his influence so that the group could avoid undergoing a debt workout program in 2009.
Park has denied the allegations, prosecution officials said.
SLS is a mid-sized business group with 10 subsidiaries, including heavy industry and shipbuilding firms. The affiliates have either gone bankrupt or into a debt workout program since 2009 when the chairman was investigated on suspicion of bribery and other charges.
Rep. Lee issued an apology earlier in the day, saying he felt responsible for poorly managing his aide. In the press release, he also called for a thorough investigation into the case.
In a related case, Shin Jae-min, a former vice minister of culture and close confidant to President Lee, was arrested last month on suspicion of taking more than 1 billion won in bribes from the SLS chairman in return for influence peddling. (Yonhap)