The special prosecutor's team, led by Lee Tae-han, has launched a search into allegations of improper payments related to the Central Election Commission's clean election activity funds. Despite claims that there is no basis for these payments, investigators have uncovered indications of falsified budget documents and the use of funds allocated for other purposes, aiming to determine whether high-ranking officials were involved in directing or conspiring in these actions.
Beginning at approximately 9 a.m. on November 2, the special prosecutor's office executed search warrants at 18 departments, including the offices of the Chair and Secretary of the Central Election Commission, under charges of loss of national treasury, abuse of authority, and forgery of official documents. A total of 65 personnel were involved in the operation, including four dispatched prosecutors and 25 digital forensics investigators.
The residence of the former Secretary of the Central Election Commission was also included in the search. This former Secretary is suspected of having issued illegal and improper directives to pay activity funds to non-standing committee members from 2024 to 2025.
The clean election activity funds in question are monthly payments made by the Central Election Commission to non-standing committee members, including the Chair. Previously, these funds were referred to as clean election activity allowances.
According to the special prosecutor's office, despite receiving criticism from the Board of Audit and Inspection and the National Assembly regarding the lack of justification for these payments, the Central Election Commission falsely reported 'not applicable' in the 'external agency comments' section of its budget documents for 2019 to 2022, subsequently securing and disbursing the activity fund budget.
There are also indications that payments continued even after the relevant budget was not allocated or was cut. The special prosecutor's office noted that no budget was allocated for 2024, and the entire budget was cut for 2025, yet the Central Election Commission reportedly used funds allocated for other purposes to continue disbursing activity funds.
The total amounts identified by the special prosecutor's office include approximately 171.5 million won in 2020, about 210.9 million won in 2021, around 20.2 million won in 2022, 215.4 million won in 2024, and 107.7 million won in the third and fourth quarters of 2025, totaling approximately 958 million won. Payments were halted in 2023.
The special prosecutor's office believes that the amounts disbursed each year meet the criteria for national treasury loss under the Special Act, which requires a loss of over 100 million won.
The investigation is expected to focus on the circumstances surrounding the resumption of activity fund payments after they were previously halted and the involvement of high-ranking officials. The special prosecutor's office stated that staff members who were not beneficiaries of the activity funds were aware of the issues raised by the Board of Audit and Inspection and the National Assembly, yet related actions continued, and they aim to clarify the reasons behind this.
The special prosecutor's office remarked, "Based on the analysis of seized materials, we will verify the process of budget allocation and execution for clean election activity funds, as well as the directives and reporting relationships involved, and we will do our utmost to clarify the collusion and degree of responsibility of those in the highest ranks."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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