The prosecution has requested an arrest warrant for the nation's chief immigration official as part of an investigation into an alleged illegal travel ban against a former vice justice minister.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office filed for the warrant for Cha Gyu-geun, commissioner of the Korea Immigration Service, on charges including abuse of power, obstruction of justice and falsifying official documents on Tuesday.

In March 2019, immigration officials at Incheon International Airport stopped the former vice minister, Kim Hak-ui, from leaving the country as prosecutors sought to reinvestigate allegations that he received sexual favors and bribes from businessmen between 2006 and 2009 when he was a senior prosecutor. 

Prosecutors are investigating a complaint that the departure ban did not follow due procedures and that Justice Ministry officials illegally checked Kim's personal information 177 times in a span of four days during that month.

Cha is accused of approving the travel ban despite being aware that information used to request the ban was obtained illegally.