Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the main opposition People Power Party has been placed in pretrial detention for allegedly receiving illegal political funds.

The Seoul Central District Court ordered Kweon's detention early Wednesday citing the five-term lawmaker's potential to destroy evidence.

The court deliberated the case in a hearing that lasted for four hours and 30 minutes on Tuesday.

The hearing came after the National Assembly approved a motion to arrest Kweon on Thursday of last week.

Kweon is accused of accepting 100 million won, or roughly 72-thousand-500 U.S. dollars, in illegal political funds from a then Unification Church official in January 2022. 

Prosecutors say that Kweon promised, in return for the money, to help get former President Yoon Suk Yeol on the group's side.