Prosecutors are investigating a senior secretary to former President Lee Myung-bak over allegations that the official exerted excessive influence on government offices, according to local reports Wednesday.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is reportedly reviewing intelligence documents to decide whether to launch a full investigation into Lee’s aide. The former presidential official is suspected of pulling strings at public offices, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to offer special favors involving state-led projects between 2008 and 2013.

The prosecution is also looking into possibilities that Lee’s aide may have received kickbacks, the reports said.

The prosecution declined to comment on the reports.

The official, whose name was withheld, was a college professor before he joined the presidential campaign in 2007, according to vernacular daily DongA Ilbo. He is also suspected of pressuring conglomerates to financially support a scholarship foundation.

The official is also alleged to have taken massive funds from municipal offices to build an art center in his hometown and illegally transferred the ownership of the building to himself, the newspaper claimed. The former presidential official denies the wrongdoings, the report added.

The investigation is considered to be a part of a widening probe into the former administration, including a questioning of other high-ranking officials at the Culture Ministry who served while Lee was in power.

Lee’s so-called energy diplomacy has been under escalating criticism that many of the investment decisions for energy projects overseas resulted in huge losses and wasted taxpayers’ money.

Last week prosecutors raided the head offices of a construction company in Seoul and the state-run oil company suspected of making a botched investment in a Russian oil exploration project during the previous administration. Last month, a parliamentary committee launched a separate investigation into Lee’s controversial push for the overseas projects.

Lee’s supporters have claimed that the investigation is part of a “political witch hunt” and that it is too early to declare Lee’s initiative a failure.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)