6.3 local elections special prosecutor Lee Tae-han, appointed to investigate allegations including a shortage of ballots, is visiting various investigative agencies to discuss personnel dispatch and other matters related to the investigation.
According to legal sources on the 20th, the special prosecutor plans to meet with Justice Ministry Vice Minister Lee Jin-soo and Prosecutor General Lee Eung-cheol at the Government Complex in Gwacheon at 5 PM today.
Additionally, on the 21st, he will visit the Supreme Prosecutor's Office at 11 AM to meet with Planning and Coordination Bureau Chief Park Kyu-hyung, and at 1 PM the same day, he will visit the National Police Agency to meet with the acting police chief and the head of the National Investigation Agency.
The special prosecutor aims to exchange opinions on cooperation regarding personnel dispatch and other necessary matters for the investigation, marking the beginning of formal preparations for the probe.
Previously, in his first public engagement after his appointment, the special prosecutor met with Kim Tae-hoon, the head of the joint investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, on the 19th to discuss the handover of the case and personnel dispatch.
After the meeting with Kim, the special prosecutor told reporters, "The internal personnel situation at the prosecution is not good, so it seems difficult to receive full support," but added, "I have requested cooperation to the maximum extent possible." He also noted, "To verify altered, deleted, or restored content, we need to utilize personnel from the Supreme Prosecutor's Office's database forensics center."
The special prosecutor will investigate the allegations specified in the Special Prosecutor Act for a maximum of 170 days, including the preparation period. Initially, he plans to secure the necessary facilities for the investigation within 20 days and request the appointment of special prosecutors.
Even during the preparation period, if rapid evidence collection is necessary, related investigations can proceed, and he can file charges and maintain prosecutions for the cases received.
During the preparation period, the special prosecutor will select 10 candidates for special prosecutors and request their appointment from President Yoon Suk-yeol, who will appoint five of them within five days. The special prosecutor can request personnel dispatch from the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, and the National Police Agency, aiming to form an investigation team of up to 20 dispatched prosecutors and 70 special investigators.
From the day after the preparation period ends, the special prosecutor must complete investigations into each case and decide whether to file charges within 90 days. If the investigation cannot be completed or if it is difficult to decide on charges within this period, the president's approval can be sought to extend the investigation period twice, each by 30 days.
The targets of the special prosecutor's investigation include allegations of infringement on voting rights due to ballot shortages, manipulation of election statistics such as voter turnout, mismanagement of important election materials like ballot storage boxes, and corruption related to overseas trips and preferential contracts involving current and former members and staff of the Election Commission, among other identified cases during the investigation process.
According to legal sources on the 20th, the special prosecutor plans to meet with Justice Ministry Vice Minister Lee Jin-soo and Prosecutor General Lee Eung-cheol at the Government Complex in Gwacheon at 5 PM today.
Additionally, on the 21st, he will visit the Supreme Prosecutor's Office at 11 AM to meet with Planning and Coordination Bureau Chief Park Kyu-hyung, and at 1 PM the same day, he will visit the National Police Agency to meet with the acting police chief and the head of the National Investigation Agency.
The special prosecutor aims to exchange opinions on cooperation regarding personnel dispatch and other necessary matters for the investigation, marking the beginning of formal preparations for the probe.
Previously, in his first public engagement after his appointment, the special prosecutor met with Kim Tae-hoon, the head of the joint investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, on the 19th to discuss the handover of the case and personnel dispatch.
After the meeting with Kim, the special prosecutor told reporters, "The internal personnel situation at the prosecution is not good, so it seems difficult to receive full support," but added, "I have requested cooperation to the maximum extent possible." He also noted, "To verify altered, deleted, or restored content, we need to utilize personnel from the Supreme Prosecutor's Office's database forensics center."
The special prosecutor will investigate the allegations specified in the Special Prosecutor Act for a maximum of 170 days, including the preparation period. Initially, he plans to secure the necessary facilities for the investigation within 20 days and request the appointment of special prosecutors.
Even during the preparation period, if rapid evidence collection is necessary, related investigations can proceed, and he can file charges and maintain prosecutions for the cases received.
During the preparation period, the special prosecutor will select 10 candidates for special prosecutors and request their appointment from President Yoon Suk-yeol, who will appoint five of them within five days. The special prosecutor can request personnel dispatch from the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, and the National Police Agency, aiming to form an investigation team of up to 20 dispatched prosecutors and 70 special investigators.
From the day after the preparation period ends, the special prosecutor must complete investigations into each case and decide whether to file charges within 90 days. If the investigation cannot be completed or if it is difficult to decide on charges within this period, the president's approval can be sought to extend the investigation period twice, each by 30 days.
The targets of the special prosecutor's investigation include allegations of infringement on voting rights due to ballot shortages, manipulation of election statistics such as voter turnout, mismanagement of important election materials like ballot storage boxes, and corruption related to overseas trips and preferential contracts involving current and former members and staff of the Election Commission, among other identified cases during the investigation process.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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