Prosecutors on Thursday began questioning Rep. Hahn Hwa-kap, the ex-chief of the former ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), on charges of illegally accepting 600 million won (US$510,000) from local construction company High Tech Housing while campaigning for the party's leadership in early 2002.

Prosecution officials said that Rep. Hahn presented himself for questioning in the morning, and is expected to finish his interrogation session later in the day.

While questioning Grand National Party (GNP) Rep. Kim Won-gil on Wednesday, prosecutors secured a statement from him that the chairman of the construction firm, identified only by the surname Park, delivered 600 million won to Hahn's camp just before the MDP's intra-party leadership election.

Kim, a former MDP legislator, worked in Hahn's camp at that time and defected to the GNP just before the presidential election in December 2002.

The prosecution will determine what legal action to take after further investigation.

Meanwhile, a prosecution official said the prosecution is also interrogating Thursday a senior GNP lawmaker on allegations that he accepted illegal funds from corporations during the 2002 presidential campaign.

Rep. Park Sang-kyu is now being questioned on allegations that he received hundreds of millions of won from at least two corporations in 2002, diverting at least some of it for private use.