A regional court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for a former female prosecutor mired in a corruption scandal.

   The Busan District Court approved prosecutors' request to issue the warrant to prolong their custody of the 36-year-old surnamed Lee, who allegedly received a luxury sedan and a designer handbag in return for peddling her influence.

   Lee, who is pregnant, was taken into custody by the prosecution
on Monday for questioning.

   "There is a concern that (Lee) might destroy evidence and flee," said a judge at the Busan District Court, as he issued the arrest warrant Wednesday evening.

   She is suspected of pressing a fellow prosecutor late last year to advance a criminal case in favor of a private-practice lawyer surnamed Choi. 

In return, she purportedly received a Chanel handbag worth 5.4 million won (US$4,780) and a Mercedes-Benz sedan.

   Lee resigned from office in a city near Seoul last month after the scandal emerged.

   As part of efforts to assuage rising public anger over corruption by public officials, the prosecution launched an independent team of prosecutors and inspectors to get to the bottom of the allegations against Lee.

   Prosecutors have searched for a link between the kickbacks she received and a potential favor given to Choi, who was reportedly having an affair with the arrested prosecutor.

   Choi, however, denied that she received the gifts in exchange for peddling her influence, according to prosecutors. (Yonhap)