Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for a key South Korean opposition lawmaker Monday as he repeatedly snubbed requests to appear for questioning over bribery allegations.

Park Jie-won, floor leader of South Korea's main opposition Democratic United Party, defied three requests by prosecutors to face questioning over suspicions he took some 100 million won (87, 800 U.S. dollars) from a troubled local savings bank in illegal political funds before the 2008 general elections.

The influence-peddling scandal has implicated a handful of high- ranking government officials and ruling Saenuri Party heavyweights, leading to the detention of some including President Lee Myung-bak' s elder brother Lee Sang-deuk.

Park, a three-term lawmaker, has rejected all charges and called the investigation politically motivated. Issuing an arrest warrant against him would require the court to seek legislative approval.