Prosecutors have questioned former Justice Minister Cho Kuk over his alleged involvement in ordering an illegal travel ban on former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui in 2019.

According to the Suwon District Prosecutors Office, Cho, who was the presidential secretary for civil affairs at the time of the ban, was questioned Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

He was reportedly asked about whether he played a role in banning Kim from leaving the country in March 2019 and whether he pressured the prosecution to stop investigating the case in June the same year.

Cho's name was previously mentioned in the indictments of several others involved in the case including Lee Sung-yoon, head of the Seoul High Prosecutors Office. Lee has been charged with exerting undue influence to block the investigation into the travel ban.

A prosecution official confirmed that Cho was called in for questioning but declined to provide any details.