Police are interrogating former Oceans and Fisheries Minister Chun Jae-soo about whether he received money and gifts from the Unification Church.

Chun, who arrived at the Seoul Seodaemun Police Station shortly before 10 a.m. Friday, denied receiving cash and a luxury watch, calling claims that he'd done so “clearly untrue.”

Chun said he has consistently and strongly opposed the idea of a South Korea–Japan undersea tunnel, a long-standing church initiative. He said it made no sense to suggest that he would have backed the project in exchange for cash and a watch.

In a warrant to search facilities tied to Chun on Monday, the police said the former minister had received 20 million won in cash, or roughly 13-thousand-500 U.S. dollars, and a luxury watch valued at around ten million won, or six-thousand-760 dollars, from the church.

Chun stepped down from his post on November 11 after the allegations surfaced.