South Korea widens probe into local election ballot shortage
· UPIJune 20 (Asia Today) -- A joint prosecution-police investigation team worked through the weekend questioning witnesses and analyzing seized records as it expanded its investigation into ballot shortages during South Korea's June 3 local elections.
Investigators are examining whether administrative failures at the National Election Commission contributed to confusion at polling stations, including the decision to print fewer ballots and allegations of improper spending.
Legal sources said the investigation team questioned the election manager assigned to a polling station in Seoul's Gaepo 2-dong district as a witness Saturday afternoon.
Investigators were also analyzing polling records and server data seized during a June 11 search of the election commission's headquarters in Gwacheon, south of Seoul.
Using the polling records, investigators are attempting to reconstruct when ballots ran out at major polling places and how requests for additional ballots were reported and processed.
The team has already questioned several government employees dispatched to polling stations.
Investigators first questioned an official assigned to the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong in Seoul's Songpa district Tuesday. They questioned officials from polling stations in Jamsil, Banpo and Noryangjin on Thursday and an official from a polling station in Cheongdam-dong on Friday.
Investigators reportedly obtained several statements indicating that the election commission's response on election day was not systematic.
The investigation has also expanded to the decision to reduce the minimum number of ballots printed from more than 60% of registered voters to more than 50%.
Investigators are reviewing whether any regulations were violated in drafting and approving the Comprehensive Management Guidelines for the Ninth Nationwide Local Elections.
The guidelines were implemented Dec. 10 with the approval of the election commission's secretary-general.
The investigation team also plans to determine whether former election commission Chairman Roh Tae-ak and other senior officials knew about the reduction.
The Songpa district election commission has faced criticism for discarding a ballot storage box from the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong before a court issued an evidence-preservation order.
The election commission said it had no legal obligation to retain the box. Investigators, however, plan to determine whether officials followed internal management guidelines and whether the box was intentionally destroyed to eliminate evidence.
The investigation also covers allegations involving overseas trips Roh took with his wife on three occasions while serving as chairman.
Reports on the trips allegedly omitted his wife's participation and details about the use of public funds.
The conservative People Power Party previously filed complaints accusing Roh, election commission employees and accompanying Democratic Party officials of occupational embezzlement over what it described as improperly funded overseas travel.
Investigators plan to summon working-level officials and other key figures from the election commission's headquarters after completing their analysis of the seized materials and questioning polling-station personnel.
The joint team is also considering adding one or two prosecutors to strengthen the investigation.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260620010006996