Main opposition Democratic Party(DP) leader Lee Jae-myung has expressed outrage at the prosecution's request for his arrest warrant on corruption and bribery charges.

Speaking at the National Assembly on Thursday, Lee denounced the events of the day as proof that "the dictatorship of President Yoon Suk Yeol has proclaimed the privatization of the prosecution's power and the collapse of the rule of law, just so he can remove a political opponent."

Asserting his innocence, Lee disparaged the warrant request, rhetorically asking why he would flee and abandon his family and the people as the leader of the main opposition party.

Earlier on Thursday, prosecutors began the process of acquiring an arrest warrant for Lee over allegations that was involved in land development scandals as well as third-party bribery claims connected to the football club of Seongnam city during his term as mayor.

The pursuit of a warrant for Lee marks the first time in the country's modern history that the prosecution is seeking to arrest the head of the largest opposition party.