A ruling party lawmaker was formally arrested by prosecutors Thursday over allegations of receiving kickbacks in relation to the ongoing construction of a skyscraper in the southern city of Busan.
The Busan District Prosecutors' Office on Monday sought a warrant against Rep. Bae Duk-kwang of the Saenuri Party on charges of receiving bribes and violating the law governing political funds.
After holding a hearing to decide the legality of his detention Wednesday, the Busan District Court issued the warrant early Thursday, acknowledging the necessity.
The 68-year-old lawmaker is suspected of receiving over 30 million won ($25,800) in bribes from local businessman Lee Young-bok in return for promising favors over a 101-story building under construction in South Korea's second-largest city.
Bae is flatly denying the charges leveled against him.
Lee, who led the mammoth construction project, was indicted in November on charges of siphoning off some tens of billions of won in the process of building the skyscraper overlooking the famous Haeundae Beach.
The case first came under the spotlight last year after President Park Geun-hye, who herself is embroiled in a separate corruption scandal, ordered the country's justice minister to thoroughly investigate the allegations being raised over the development work. (Yonhap)