Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was indicted without detention Tuesday on charges of misappropriating funds when he was the governor of Gyeonggi Province including alleged misuse of corporate cards for personal benefit, the Suwon District Prosecutors Office said.

The chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party was indicted along with his former chief secretary, identified only by his surname Chung and another former Gyeonggi Province official Bae, all on charges of breach of trust.

Lee is accused of personally using an official vehicle that belonged to the province and spending a total of 106.53 million won ($76,500) of public money for private use from July 2018 to October 2021.

Out of the total amount, 60.16 million won has been attributed to the personal use of a government vehicle, based on the minimum monthly rental cost of a Genesis G80 sedan, combined with fuel and car wash expenses. The prosecutors allege that Lee kept the vehicle parked at his residence to use it for personal purposes.

Lee is also accused of using provincial government funds through corporate cards for personal expenses such as sandwiches, fruit, meals and laundry services.

The prosecution claimed that it also had evidence against Lee’s wife, Kim Hye-kyung, who was accused of misusing 8.89 million won of provincial government funds through corporate cards, but it decided to suspend the indictment against her.

The investigation into the alleged misappropriation of corporate cards by Lee and his wife began following a referral from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission in October last year.

"This case involves the systematic misappropriation of funds, with numerous government officials being mobilized," an official from the prosecution said.

Lee already has been facing other trials over corruption and other criminal charges. Tuesday's case was the sixth time he was indicted by the prosecution. The case adds Lee's legal risk as he was handed, Friday, a suspended one-year prison sentence for allegedly making false statements during the 2022 presidential campaign. In addition, he awaits the first judgment on the subornation of perjury charges, scheduled for Monday.

Lee will lose his parliamentary seat if a fine exceeding 1 million won is confirmed in any of the trials he faces. Additionally, his eligibility to run for office will be revoked for the next five years, barring him from participating in the 2027 presidential election.

As these legal challenges loom, party members are likely to focus on showcasing their party's resilience under Lee's leadership while preparing for these crucial upcoming events, according to local reports.

At a weekend rally organized by the opposition Democratic Party in central Seoul on Saturday, Lee vowed to remain unbowed by Friday's court ruling, declaring, "Lee Jae-myung will not die. Democracy will not die. This country’s future will not die."