Prosecutors questioned a lawmaker Monday over his alleged involvement in a cash-for-vote campaign ahead of the 2021 chairman election of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP).
Rep. Youn Kwan-suk, now an independent as he left the DP in early May in the wake of the scandal, was brought in for questioning at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul in the morning, according to legal sources.
The scandal centers on allegations that Song Yong-gil's campaign officials distributed cash totaling 94 million won (US$71,174) to party members, including some 10-20 lawmakers, to help him get elected as party leader ahead of the party's national convention in May 2021.
Prosecutors suspect Youn was involved in the alleged distribution of "cash envelopes" accounting for 60 million won of the total to sitting DP lawmakers in April that year.
Monday's questioning came three days after prosecutors quizzed Rep. Lee Sung-man, another key suspect in the case. Lee is also an independent after leaving the DP in early May alongside Youn.
Youn is denying the suspicions and accusing the prosecution of cooking up allegations targeting the opposition party without concrete evidence.
Prosecutors were reportedly considering seeking an arrest warrant for Youn if the lawmaker continues to refute the suspicions.
Source: Yonhap News Agency