Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung (center) leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Friday after the court's sentencing on his election law violation charges. (Yonhap)

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 laundry services, fruit used for Lee's family memorial services, breakfast sandwiches he ate each morning -- which were recorded as purchases for official meetings.

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 is already facing multiple trials over corruption and other criminal charges, with Tuesday marking the sixth indictment by the prosecution. This latest case adds to his legal risks, as he was handed a suspended one-year prison sentence on Friday for allegedly making false statements during the 2022 presidential campaign.

Among the ongoing trials are charges of suborning a former mayoral secretary to make a false court testimony in his favor, for which he awaits a judgment scheduled for Monday. Additionally, there are trials on charges of corruption related to development projects in Seongnam and involvement in an illegal cash transfer of $8 million to North Korea.

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."