Prosecutors have taken into custody Yoo Dong-kyu, a key figure in the scandal surrounding the Seongnam development project, while he was at a hospital on Friday. 

Yoo was set to appear for questioning at 10 a.m. that day but delayed his appearance for an hour after going to the ER earlier that morning to receive treatment for acute abdominal pain. 

Prosecutors apparently decided to detain Yoo out of concerns he could refuse questioning citing health reasons. Yoo had been initially summoned for Thursday but also failed to appear, saying he had yet to select his legal counsel. 

As a former senior official at the Seongnam Development Corporation in Gyeonggi Province, Yoo is suspected of giving preferential treatment to asset management firm Hwacheon Daeyu while pursuing the lucrative development project.

He is said to be the owner of Yoowon Holdings, which allegedly received profit from the development project. Prosecutors also suspect that Yoo received bribes from the asset management firm. Yoo has denied the allegations.