The joint police-prosecution investigation headquarters (joint investigation headquarters), which is investigating the shortage of ballot papers that occurred during the 9th nationwide local elections held simultaneously (the June 3 local elections), conducted another search and seizure of the National Election Commission on the 23rd. Signs of false input of voter turnout were also found, and searches and seizures of those involved are underway.
The joint investigation headquarters said, "After the first search and seizure of the National Election Commission and others on June 11, we are conducting searches and seizures of the National Election Commission and the Songpa District, Gangnam District, and Seocho District election commissions to secure additional evidence to uncover the truth about the ballot paper shortage."
According to the joint investigation headquarters, signs were also found that officials of the Gyeonggi-do election commission falsely entered voter turnout in this June 3 local elections. The joint investigation headquarters said, "Searches and seizures of those involved are also underway on charges of forging official electronic records and obstructing the performance of official duties."
The joint investigation headquarters is said to have confirmed indications that working-level staff of the election commission in charge of managing local polling stations arbitrarily altered statistical figures in the computer system to conceal mistakes in misentering the number of voters.
When a misentry occurs, they must report to superiors and obtain approval before correcting the figures, but the allegation is that they manipulated the statistics by having working-level staff arbitrarily change the numbers in disregard of procedure.
The joint investigation headquarters was launched on the 9th of last month under President Lee Jae-myung's order to promptly determine the circumstances of the ballot paper shortage that occurred in the June 3 local elections. The investigation was stepped up with a search and seizure of the National Election Commission on the 11th of last month, two days after its launch.
Once the analysis of the seized materials is completed, the joint investigation headquarters is expected to summon election commission employees to determine the circumstances of manipulations such as the false input of voter turnout.