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Lee Jae-myung, chief of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Oct. 18. Yonhap

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung strongly denounced the prosecution's attempt to raid the headquarters of his Democratic Party of Korea as "oppression" of the opposition Thursday and claimed his innocence after a long-time confidant was detained on bribery charges.

DPK Chairman Lee made the remarks a day after prosecutors apprehended Kim Yong, one of Lee's closest confidants, on bribery charges and attempted unsuccessfully to raid the DPK headquarters where Kim's office is located.

Kim is suspected of receiving some 800 million won ($558,932) worth of illegal political funds between April and August last year from private companies in connection with a land development project south of Seoul.

Critics raised suspicions that the money could have been used for Lee's election campaign.