The chief of Lotte Homeshopping, the TV channel of retail giant Lotte, was summoned by prosecutors on Monday to face questioning over allegations of illegal lobbying to renew its business license.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office called in Kang Hyeon-gu as a suspect for the second time since he was first grilled by prosecutors in July over suspicions of violating the country's Broadcasting Act.

Kang is suspected of submitting false reports to the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning last year to renew its business license for another three years.

In May, the ministry ordered the TV channel to suspend its six-hour prime time broadcasting for six months starting late this month, but a local court recently suspended the government's ban until a separate court ruling is made on Lotte's request to nullify the order.

Kang, who has been leading the company since 2012, is also accused of creating slush funds and using the money to lobby government officials.

Lotte, which has sprawling businesses in both South Korea and Japan, has been rife with a series of scandals since last year, including an internal power struggle between the group Chairman Shin Dong-bin and his older brother for managerial control.

The prosecution is planning to question the younger Shin on Tuesday over a string of corruption allegations involving the country's fifth-largest conglomerate. (Yonhap)