As the special counsel team of Lee Tae-han, which is investigating various allegations involving the National Election Commission such as the June 3 local election ballot shortage, prepares to launch, it has begun additional recruitment of special investigators.
According to legal sources on the 30th, the special counsel team recently asked the Korean Bar Association to additionally recommend suitable candidates for special investigator.
In response, on the 28th the bar association sent an official letter to its members titled "Recommendation and application request for suitable candidates for special investigator to uncover the truth behind allegations of violations of citizens' suffrage, including the ballot shortage during the 9th nationwide local elections," and announced that it would accept applications and recommendations until the 1st of next month.
As of the 28th, the special counsel team has a total of 14 personnel, including three prosecutors on secondment, five special investigators, and six police officers on secondment.
On the same day, the special counsel selected 10 candidates for deputy special counsel and asked President Lee Jae-myung to appoint them. It also sent official cooperation letters to the Ministry of Justice and the Korean National Police Agency to deploy about 60 investigative personnel, including 20 prosecutors, by the 4th of next month.
The special counsel team plans to receive and review digitized case records on the 31st, draw up an investigation plan, and begin a full-scale probe from the 7th of next month.
The targets of the investigation specified by the special counsel act are 12 allegations surrounding the National Election Commission, including the June 3 local election ballot shortage, manipulation of voting statistics, overseas trips for show, illicit hiring and preferential promotions, and preferential private contracts and collusion with vendors. The team may also investigate related cases newly identified during the process.