A team comprising police investigators and prosecutors is set to interrogate election watchdog officials regarding the ballot paper shortages that occurred during the recent local elections in South Korea. The National Election Commission (NEC) faced criticism for the deficiencies that led to the temporary halting of voting at 26 polling stations, mainly in Seoul. The team conducted a search and seizure operation on NEC’s servers to obtain internal communications and other documents as part of the investigation into the root cause of the shortages.
The focus of the inquiry is on whether NEC officials improperly influenced the printing of ballot papers and how they managed the shortages. The team intends to first question front-line NEC officials from affected areas before summoning senior officials, including the former chief who resigned in connection with the incident. The investigation is scrutinizing whether civil servants violated election laws by exerting undue influence during the electoral process.
In a series of raids conducted at seven locations, including the NEC’s headquarters, the team is intensifying efforts to gather evidence. Meanwhile, protests demanding a re-run of the elections due to the ballot shortages have persisted for the 10th consecutive day at a vote counting site in Seoul’s Jamsil district. The number of protesters has fluctuated, with around 600 individuals estimated to be present in the morning, a significant decrease from the previous night’s gathering of 19,000 people.
Authorities are bracing for a prolonged standoff as dispersing the protesters immediately seems unlikely given the absence of a clear organizer for the spontaneous demonstrations. A police official suggested that the protesters might disperse once advancements are made in the investigation into the ballot shortages. The ongoing protests have obstructed the activities of sports organizations located at the site, prompting these groups to schedule a press conference to appeal to the protesters to allow them access to their offices.
