Prosecutors on Thursday sought an arrest warrant for former Vice Knowledge Economy Minister Park Young-joon on charges of receiving bribes between 2005 and 2007 in exchange for influence-peddling in a construction project.

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office also sought an arrest of former Seoul Metropolitan Government official Kang Cheol-won on bribery charges.

Park’s arrest is to deal a blow to the lame duck administration of President Lee Myung-bak, following the earlier arrest of former Korea Communications Commission chairman Choi See-joong on the same bribery charge.

Park has enjoyed close relations with President Lee, serving on his presidential transition team and later as deputy prime minister in the administration.

Park had denied most of the allegations during the 18-hour interrogation at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on Wednesday.

“It was an intense investigation. I fully clarified (the facts) and responded to the questions sincerely,” Park said, walking out of the prosecutors’ office early Thursday morning.

Park and Choi are suspected of having received hundreds of millions of won each from Lee Jeong-bae, former representative of the construction project called Picity, through a broker named Lee Dong-ryul.

The prosecutors have reportedly secured evidence showing that Park received the bribes around the time he was heading the political affairs department at Seoul City, possibly through the bank accounts of his close associate, businessman Lee Dong-jo.

The prosecutors also notified Lee Dong-jo to appear for questioning once he returns from an extended trip to China.

The investigation is likely to continue spreading as the prosecutors hone in on former Seoul Metropolitan Government officials, including Kang Cheol-won, who headed the city’s public relations from 2006 and later headed the political affairs team in 2010. Kang was also questioned by the prosecutors earlier this week.

Prosecutors suspect Kang of receiving tens of millions of won in 2007 in exchange for helping to get the project approved upon Park’s request.

Kang is a close aide to former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

Seoul City approved the use of land for the Picity project in 2006. The project, which was taken over by POSCO earlier this year after Lee Jeong-bae went bankrupt, has been delayed due to financial difficulties.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)