The joint investigation team probing the voting paper shortage during the June 3 local elections has uncovered evidence suggesting manipulation of voting statistics by officials at the National Election Commission (NEC) and the Gyeonggi Province Election Commission. The team believes that staff members at the election commission incorrectly entered the number of voters and subsequently altered the figures without reporting to superiors.
On July 23, the joint investigation team, led by Kim Tae-hoon, deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, conducted searches at the NEC in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and election offices in Seoul's Songpa, Gangnam, and Seocho districts.
The searches aimed to gather additional evidence regarding the circumstances surrounding the shortage of voting papers on election day, as well as to confirm allegations of false voter turnout entries by NEC and Gyeonggi election officials.
The search warrants reportedly included charges of falsifying public electronic records and obstructing official duties. Falsifying public electronic records applies when a public official or office alters or creates electronic records with the intent to mislead.
During the analysis of materials obtained in previous searches and interviews with related individuals, the investigation team found indications that election commission staff had incorrectly entered the number of voters and then arbitrarily modified the figures in the system.
According to legal sources, some employees entered the number of voters as thousands instead of hundreds, bypassing normal reporting and approval procedures. When an error occurs, it should be reported to superiors for correction, but it appears that staff changed the numbers on their own.
The investigation team has also reportedly secured messenger conversations in which election commission employees discussed the need to engage in so-called 'number matching' without reporting the erroneous entries. The team is focusing on determining whether these were simple input errors or deliberate alterations to conceal mistakes.
This search is aimed at confirming both the voting paper shortage and the allegations of data manipulation. The searches at the Songpa, Gangnam, and Seocho election offices are expected to yield additional information on the circumstances of the voting paper shortage and the response on election day, while the focus on the NEC and Gyeonggi election officials is to identify those involved in the false voter turnout entries.
The joint investigation team was established on June 9, following President Lee Jae-myung's directive for a swift investigation into the voting paper shortage. Just two days after its formation, on June 11, the team conducted its first searches at seven locations, including the NEC and the Seoul Election Commission. On June 24, they carried out additional searches at the offices of 12 individuals associated with the Seoul and Songpa election offices.
The investigation is set to expand beyond local election commission staff to include higher-ups at the NEC involved in reducing the printing ratio of voting papers and communication regarding the issue.
Once the analysis of the seized materials is complete, the team plans to summon election commission officials to investigate the circumstances surrounding the erroneous voter entries and any prior discussions among staff, as well as whether there was any reporting or approval from superiors.
If the investigation confirms intentional manipulation of statistics, it could extend beyond the voting paper shortage to encompass broader issues of election data management. However, the current findings are still at the circumstantial stage, and the actual extent of manipulation and involvement will need to be clarified in future investigations.
The joint investigation team also interrogated the head of the Gwangjin District Election Commission, who is under suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act and neglect of duty. During the investigation, statements were reportedly obtained indicating that the voting paper shortage stemmed from inadequate communication by the NEC.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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