The court has issued an arrest warrant for independent lawmaker Lee Sang-jik, who is accused of embezzlement and dereliction of duty as the founder of the cash-strapped budget carrier Eastar Jet. 

Judge Kim Seung-gon at Jeonju District Court issued the warrant on Wednesday, citing the risk of the accused fabricating or destroying evidence or forcing testimonies. Sufficient grounds for establishing a crime have also been secured despite lingering room for legal disputes, the judge said. 

Lee, a former ruling Democratic Party representative, is the second lawmaker to be arrested among the members of the 21st National Assembly following DP lawmaker Jeong Jeong-soon, who was arrested last year of campaign finance violations. 

Lee is suspected of colluding with a senior company official, who was indicted in February for causing about 43 billion won in financial damage to the airline by paying off long-term loans early and underselling company shares to a specific subsidiary.

The prosecution also believes the second-term lawmaker embezzled five-point-36 billion won of Eastar Jet and affiliates' funds between 2015 and 2019.