The prosecution disclosed on Monday the names of 21 main opposition Democratic Party(DP) lawmakers who are suspected to be linked to a cash bribery scheme in the 2021 election of former party chair Song Young-gil.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office revealed the list of names on Monday during a trial of DP-turned-independent lawmaker Youn Kwan-suk and former head of the Institute of Internal Auditors Korea Kang Rae-gu who have been charged with violating the Political Party Law. 

The prosecution disclosed the list when questioning Song’s former aide, Park Yong-soo, who appeared at Monday’s trial as a witness. 

Prosecutors were earlier found to have identified 19 DP lawmakers who allegedly pocketed cash envelopes. The named legislators all denied the allegations and had filed a complaint against the prosecution with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. 

Also during Monday’s trial, Park said he had distributed on two occasions cash envelopes at the request of Kang or former DP deputy secretary general Lee Jung-geun. 

Park is suspected of delivering to Lee 20 envelopes each containing three million won in April 2021. 

Prosecutors believe Lee then gave the envelopes to Youn who then allegedly distributed a total of 60 million won to DP lawmakers the same month.