The fugitive former chairman of Ssangbangwool Group, Kim Seong-tae, has returned to South Korea from Thailand some eight months after he fled the country while under investigation for corruption.

Kim arrived at Incheon International Airport around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday via an Asiana Airlines flight from Bangkok before being immediately transported to the Suwon District Prosecutors Office, which is in charge of corruption investigations involving him.

The voluntary return comes a week after he was apprehended by Thai police at a golf club near Bangkok, after which he was about to stand trial for illegally staying in the country.

Kim is a key suspect in several high-profile corruption investigations, including embezzlement, payment of Democratic Party chief Lee Jae-myung's legal fees by proxy and the transfer of cash remittance to North Korea.

Before boarding the Asiana flight, Kim denied all allegations to reporters, claiming that he has never had a phone call with Lee and he does not have his number.

Source: KBS World Radio