Prosecutors plan to request an arrest warrant for a lawmaker formerly affiliated with the ruling Saenuri Party this week over allegations that she bribed her way into the parliament, sources said Monday.
Rep. Hyun Young-hee, who was expelled from the Saenuri Party on Friday, is suspected of passing about 300 million won (US$264,700) in bribes to Hyun Ki-hwan, then a member of the party's committee responsible for nominating proportional candidates, in a bid to win a spot on the proportional representation ticket ahead of April's general elections.
The lawmaker also allegedly gave 20 million won in illegal political funds to Hong Joon-pyo, a former chairman of the Saenuri Party, and paid volunteers during her election campaign, which is banned by law.
"Some inside discussion is needed, but Rep. Hyun's arrest is inevitable," a prosecution official close to the investigation said, adding prosecutors plan to request the arrest warrant on Wednesday.
If prosecutors request the arrest warrant, they will require parliamentary consent as lawmakers in South Korea are immune from arrest while the National Assembly is in session.
Despite the expulsion, Hyun still holds onto her parliamentary seat as an independent.
The lawmaker, who has denied the allegations, has been summoned for questioning three times since Aug. 6.
Hyun fainted as she was leaving the Busan District Prosecutors' Office in the port city of Busan around 1 a.m. on Monday, after undergoing 15 hours of intensive questioning.
She was taken to a nearby hospital for minor treatment.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said Monday they summoned Hyun Ki-hwan for further questioning on suspicions that he received bribes from Rep. Hyun.
The former Saenuri party lawmaker who was also expelled from the party last week, has been asked to appear before the Busan prosecution on Tuesday morning. (Yonhap)