The prosecution on Friday sought arrest warrants for President Lee Myung-bak’s elder brother Lee Sang-deuk and his former aide Rep. Chung Doo-un in connection with their alleged involvement in bribery cases.

Lee Sang-deuk is suspected of taking a total of 700 million won ($608,700)in bribes from the management of ailing savings banks in return for exercising his influence in evading a shutdown order.

If a court approves a warrant for Lee, the 77-year-old will be the first sibling of an incumbent President to be arrested.

According to prosecution sources, Lee received more than 700 million won from Solomon Savings Bank chairman Lim Suk and Mirae Mutual Savings Bank chief Kim Chan-kyong ahead of the presidential election in 2007. Lee is accused of having taken 300 million won from Lim and 400 million won from Kim.

The President’s former close aide Rep. Chung is suspected of having received more than 30 million won from Lim in exchange for arranging meetings between the banker and Lee Sang-deuk. 

The request for an arrest warrant for Chung was made just one day after the ruling party lawmaker was summoned to be grilled over his alleged involvement in the bribery scandal.

The investigation into the two politicians is also showing signs of becoming an issue of political contention as suspicion emerged that they used the money to support the 2007 presidential campaign of Lee Myung-bak.

Allegations have it that Lee Sang-deuk handed over some or all of the money he received from Lim to former lawmaker Kwon Oh-eul, who was the campaign manager of then-candidate Lee.

Opposition forces, meanwhile, urged the prosecution to launch an official investigation into the alleged campaign fund for Lee Myung-bak.

“Now that the in-and-outs of the dirty money have been verified, the prosecutors must thoroughly probe the case. If the investigation shows a poor result people will seek to protest the prosecution,” said spokeswoman Kim Hyun of the main opposition United Democratic Party.

By Bae Ji-sook(baejisook@heraldcorp.com)