The former vice governor of Gyeonggi Province, Lee Hwa-young, has been arrested on charges of receiving bribes from a local clothing company.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office issued an arrest warrant for Lee Wednesday morning, saying that the charges against the suspect have been verified and he may destroy evidence.

The former vice governor is accused of receiving about 250 million won in bribes from Ssangbangwool Group from August 2018 to early this year in exchange for favors related to its inter-Korean economic exchange project.

Lee denied the allegations against him on Tuesday.

Lee had served as a consulting director of the clothing company for about a year before becoming the provincial vice governor from August 2018 to January 2020, and is currently the chief executive of the Korea International Exhibition Center.

Meanwhile, a former vice chair of the company accused of offering bribes for Lee was also arrested on charges of bribery and violating the political fund law.