Prosecutors said Wednesday they have summoned a former head of a government public relations agency in connection with allegations he received illegal political funds worth some hundreds of millions of won.

Kim Chang-ho, the former head of the Government Information Agency, appeared before the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office in the morning.

The 59-year-old is suspected of receiving the money from the jailed head of Value Invest Korea, a local investment company, for election campaigning.

"I wanted to make a leading think tank of South Korea," Kim told reporters when asked if he admits to the charges.

Yet, he said he "did not know" that they were illegal political funds.

The prosecutors said Wednesday's questioning will be focused on whether Kim received the money and if so for what purposes.

Kim headed the Government Information Agency from 2005 to 2008 under the Roh Moo-hyun administration. (Yonhap)