It was a second attempt by the prosecution to arrest her. The same court rejected the prosecution’s initial request earlier this month due to a lack of evidence.

The prosecution sought an arrest warrant for Chung on Sunday on three charges -- concealing criminal proceeds, enrolling at Ewha Womans University through illegal means and using fabricated documents to obtain a leave of absence from her high school

“I told the judge everything as things are. I said I was not a flight risk,” she said in a teary voice after attending a hearing on her arrest warrant at the court Tuesday. She has denied any wrongdoing, claiming no knowledge of any illegal activities by her mother Choi and the ousted Park. 

The concealment of criminal proceeds was an additional charge raised against Chung. The prosecution viewed that Chung had been involved in Samsung Group’s attempt to write up a fabricated contract to make its donation of horses for Chung look like a legitimate sponsorship.

Samsung allegedly offered 7.8 billion won ($6.95 million) to Choi-controlled entities to cover Chung’s equestrian training abroad and buy expensive horses in return for policy favors from the Park administration. Its de facto leader Lee Jae-yong is on trial on bribery charges.

The prosecution said it had also found that Chung had attempted to obtain citizenship in Malta before being extradited to Korea. She reportedly told the prosecution that she gave it up due to cost. 

Chung was extradited from Denmark to face questioning by the prosecution in May in connection with the corruption scandal.

She face allegations that she was accepted into an elite school despite questionable qualifications and given special favors for academic records despite poor attendance on the back of her mother’s ties to Park. Her mother and the school’s officials are on trial for their roles in the alleged academic fraud.

Her mother Choi is jailed and on trial on charges of colluding with former President Park to extort bribes and donations from local firms. Park, who was removed from office in March over the scandal, is also on trial for the same charges. They have denied all the accusations. 

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)