Investigation into Voting Paper Shortage Intensifies as Officials are Summoned

The joint investigation team probing the voting paper shortage during the June 3 local elections is summoning officials from the Songpa district election commission for a second consecutive day.

On June 26, the team plans to question two Songpa district election officials as witnesses. These officials are responsible for managing polling stations in the Jamsil 7-dong area, where the shortage occurred.

On June 24, the investigation team conducted searches at the offices and mobile phones of 12 officials from the Seoul and Songpa district election commissions. They are currently examining how officials reported the shortage at polling stations and the subsequent internal communications and directives. Since the previous day, the team has been verifying the reporting routes and responses related to the shortage with the summoned officials.

Witness investigations are also set to take place for four local government employees who worked at the polling stations on that day.

Additionally, Jeon Han-gil, a former history instructor, has submitted evidence including two boxes of voting papers to the police. He filed a complaint against acting chairman Wi Cheol-hwan of the National Election Commission on June 15, alleging neglect of duty, and provided various items including the voting paper boxes, marking tools, and approximately 1,700 election registration comparison slips.

As the investigation continues, the joint team is reconstructing the events of the day with the polling managers who worked in areas like Jamsil 7-dong, and it appears they will also pursue investigations into higher-ups, including former chairman Noh Tae-ak and former secretary-general Heo Cheol-hoon.