Former South Korean President Lee Myung Bak has been arrested over corruption allegations including that he took 11 billion won (around $10.3 million) in bribes while in office, Yonhap News Agency reported early Friday.

Prosecutors took Lee, 76, to the Seoul Eastern Detention Center from his home, Yonhap said, making him the country's fourth former president to be arrested on criminal charges.

The move came after the Seoul Central District Court late Thursday approved a request by prosecutors to arrest Lee after reviewing documents submitted by the prosecution and the defense in connection with the request, according to South Korean media. A hearing was not held as Lee, who denies the allegations, refused to attend.

The prosecutors, who questioned Lee over two days last week, sought the arrest warrant on Monday on the grounds he might destroy evidence if not detained.

In a handwritten statement posted on Facebook, Lee said he feels a "sense of guilt," according to Yonhap.

"Rather than blaming anybody, I feel that all is my fault, and I feel a sense of guilt," he wrote, adding that he went through "pains" he found "difficult to endure" over the last 10 months during the corruption probe.

"I hope that my arrest will lessen the pains of those who worked with me (during my presidency), and of my family," he added.

Lee's immediate successor, Park Geun Hye, was also removed from office last year after being impeached and is currently standing trial on charges of bribery, abuse of power and coercion.

According to local media, Lee, who was in office from 2008 to 2013, is suspected of taking the bribes from the state intelligence agency, businesses and others.

One of the key officials in Lee's administration who was indicted last month for receiving illicit funds from the National Intelligence Service fingered Lee as the "main culprit" of the bribery.

In his first hearing last week, the key aide admitted to the allegations.

The prosecutors are also investigating allegations that Samsung Electronics' payment of legal fees for auto parts maker DAS, which Lee effectively owns, constituted bribery.