National Election Commission employees were found to have explained allegations that they falsely entered the number of voters by saying in effect, "Isn't it enough to make sure only the final turnout matches?" With similar circumstances detected not only in the Seoul metropolitan area but also in the Chungcheong region, there is a possibility the investigation will expand to other areas.
According to legal sources on the 24th, the joint police-prosecution investigation headquarters for fact-finding on the infringement of the people's suffrage (Deputy Minister Kim Tae-hoon, 3rd deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office) secured such statements the previous day from working-level officials at the National Election Commission and the Gyeonggi Provincial Election Commission.
The task force is investigating indications that, during the June 3 local elections, National Election Commission employees who managed local polling stations arbitrarily altered statistical figures in the election management system to conceal the fact that they misentered the number of voters.
If the number of voters is entered incorrectly, it must be reported to superiors and corrected after approval, but the task force believes some employees changed the figures in the computer system without following the prescribed procedures.
On the 23rd, the task force raided the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and the Songpa, Gangnam, and Seocho district election commissions in Seoul. Two officials from the National Election Commission and the Gyeonggi Provincial Election Commission were reportedly named as suspects in the search warrant on charges including falsification of official electronic records and obstruction of official duties.
Among them, some admitted during the raids that they made false entries but were said to have argued that there was no problem because they readjusted the figures entered incorrectly in earlier time slots to make the final turnout match.
The task force views this explanation as hard to accept, noting that the commission releases turnout by time slot on election day and voters can refer to it.
During the investigation, additional indications reportedly emerged that the number of voters was arbitrarily modified at polling stations in the Chungcheong region and in other constituencies in Gyeonggi Province that were not included in the previous day's raids.
The task force is proceeding on the possibility that the same type of false entry was carried out in other regions as well. If additional materials are identified in the analysis of the seized items, the scope of compulsory investigations could expand.
The task force continued its search and seizure of the National Election Commission server on the 24th. However, the court reportedly dismissed the portions of the search warrants the task force requested that sought suspects' messenger and email records.
Separately, in connection with the ballot shortage during the local elections, the task force plans to summon the secretary-general of the Dongjak District Election Commission as a suspect for questioning.
Regarding allegations that the spouse of former National Election Commission Chair Roh Tae-ak accompanied an overseas business trip, the task force is questioning National Election Commission officials as reference witnesses and checking the circumstances of the trip and how the expense was handled.