A local court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Kim Hee-jung, a former presidential secretary in personal affairs, for receiving money from the management of ailing savings bank.

The Seoul Central District Court granted Kim’s detention for allegedly receiving some 100 million won from Lim Suk, chairman of Solomon Savings Bank from 2009 to 2010 in exchange for peddling his influence in rescuing the bank from a shutdown order. The bank was given a business suspension in May.

According to prosecution insiders Kim has admitted to the irregularities, citing that he needed money for an urgent affair in the family.

He resigned from his secretary post last week after the initial reports about his wrongdoing topped news headlines. 

(baejisook@heraldcorp.com)