Prosecutors investigating the illicit political fund allegations surrounding the 2021 Democratic Party(DP) convention issued a travel ban against ex-DP chief Song Young-gil.

According to judicial sources on Tuesday, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office issued the ban against Song, who is suspected of securing his bid for the party leadership that year following the transfer of illicit funds.

The state agency is speculated to have taken into account the fact that Song, who was staying in Paris when the allegations emerged, had been initially ambiguous about his stance on returning.

Prosecutors suspect that DP Reps. Youn Kwan-suk, Lee Sung-man, former DP Deputy Secretary General Lee Jung-geun and Kang Rae-gu, the head of the Institute of Internal Auditors Korea, colluded to distribute 94 million won to those with voting rights to ensure Song's victory.

Aside from the fact that the mentioned figures had all taken part in Song's camp ahead of the convention, investigators suspect that he played an active role in the scheme based on audio files kept by the ex-secretary general.

Due to concerns over the destruction of evidence, the state agency plans to seek another arrest warrant for Kang following an earlier court dismissal based on its supplementary investigation.