State prosecutors on Wednesday raided an office under the control of a former presidential aide over allegations that he condoned an influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her close confidante.

The prosecution sent investigators to the special inspection unit attached to the office of Woo Byung-woo, former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs from February 2015 to October this year, to gather evidence of his alleged wrongdoing. The facility is located at the detached office of the government complex in central Seoul outside the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

The investigators confiscated documents, mobile phones and computer hard disks, officials said.

Woo is suspected of having overlooked irregularities committed by President Park Geun-hye's longtime friend Choi Soon-sil, who was indicted Sunday on a string of charges, including abuse of power.

The former secretary is also being investigated on separate charges of embezzling funds from a company run by his family for personal purposes. Woo is also believed to have made a false disclosure of personal wealth by concealing real estate owned by his wife under a borrowed name. (Yonhap)