A presidential secretary has been indicted for allegedly orchestrating the illegal travel ban on former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui in 2019.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office on Thursday indicted without detaining Lee Kwang-cheol the presidential secretary for civil affairs, on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice.

Lee is accused of colluding with Cha Gyu-geun, the commissioner of the Korea Immigration Service, and prosecutor Lee Kyu-won in March 2019, using falsified documents to stop Kim from leaving the country.

Kim, at the time, was facing a possible reinvestigation into allegations that he received sexual favors from a businessman between 2006 and 2011.

The secretary is also suspected of exercising undue influence later that year, by allegedly asking Cho Kuk, then-senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, to help prosecutor Lee avoid an investigation.

While prosecutors did not include the charge in their indictment Thursday, they plan to review additional charges against Lee.

According to Presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee, Lee tendered his resignation later in the day, citing a possible conflict of interest over his presence at the top office, as well as its adverse effect on state affairs. 

Lee, however, criticized the prosecution’s move and expressed regret over it, saying the indictment was unfair.