Woo has been accused of a host of wrongdoings ranging from abetting or condoning Choi Soon-sil’s alleged criminal offenses to exerting undue influence over the prosecution in disrupting a probe into the sinking of the Sewol ferry in 2014.

It has also been alleged that Woo’s appointment as a top presidential aide was influenced by the relationship between Choi and Woo’s mother-in-law.

Woo, however, maintains he had no knowledge of Choi’s alleged wrongdoings and that his only knowledge of Choi has come from information circulated through the media.

This marks prosecutors’ second attempt to obtain an arrest warrant for Woo. The special counsel that investigated the scandal had filed for a warrant, but was rejected by the court that ruled the connection with the former presidential aide and his alleged crimes was unclear.

Since the end of the special counsel investigation on Feb. 28, the prosecution has launched a special team looking into the scandal. Woo was summoned for questioning for the third time on April 6, and dozens of individuals including serving prosecutors have been grilled in connection to the case.

Woo is the last of the high-ranking government officials, including Park, implicated in the scandal to remain free. Park was arrested March 31, while former chief of staff Kim Ki-chun and Culture Minister Cho Yun-sun were arrested early on in the special counsel investigation.

Woo is also accused of intervening in personnel appointments in the government to remove officials uncooperative with the irregularities committed by Park and Choi. The prosecution suspects him of attempting to cover up the scandal.

Woo is separately being investigated for alleged embezzlement involving his family members.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)