A regional court dismissed a request Monday for a warrant to arrest ruling People Power Party lawmaker Ha Young-je on charges of receiving illicit political funds.
Ha has been under prosecution investigation on suspicion of receiving 70 million won (US$53,211) from a South Gyeongsang provincial council candidate, and more than 50 million won from the head of a regional government and an aide ahead of last June's local elections.
The Changwon District Court in the namesake city, 482 km south of Seoul, rejected the prosecution's arrest warrant request against Ha, saying he is not a flight risk and has owned up to most of his wrongdoings.
The opposition Democratic Party-dominated National Assembly had earlier voted to give parliamentary consent to the prosecution's request to arrest Ha.
According to law, sitting lawmakers are immune from arrest, while the parliament is in session. The prosecution must obtain parliament's consent to detain lawmakers.
Source: Yonhap News Agency