A ruling-party lawmaker appeared before prosecutors Wednesday to face questioning over suspicions that he received bribes worth 55 million won (US$54,000) from a local railway supplier.

Rep. Song Kwang-ho of the ruling Saenuri Party is suspected of taking the money from the railway parts supplier AVT in return for business favors, prosecutors said.

Song showed up at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul at around 7:50 a.m. to face questioning as a criminal suspect in the snowballing bribery investigation.

The four-term lawmaker formerly served as the chairman of the National Assembly's land and maritime committee that oversees the Korea Rail Network Authority.

The prosecution office had already sought an arrest warrant against another Saenuri legislator for his alleged involvement in rail industry corruption. 

Rep. Cho Hyun-ryong is under suspicion of taking bribes worth hundreds of millions of won from Sampyo E&C in return for awarding the private company contracts since August 2008. (Yonhap)