27-member team includes 12 prosecutors and 15 police officers

A citizen writes a message on a bulletin board near the handball arena at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday, as protests blocking the vote-counting center continue. Demonstrators are demanding a re-election over the ballot shortage that marred the June 3 local elections. (Lee Sang-sub)
A citizen writes a message on a bulletin board near the handball arena at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday, as protests blocking the vote-counting center continue. Demonstrators are demanding a re-election over the ballot shortage that marred the June 3 local elections. (Lee Sang-sub)

By Choi Eui-jong, The Herald Business

Prosecutors and police have established a joint investigation task force to probe the ballot shortage that disrupted the June 3 local elections.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Tuesday it would set up the joint prosecution-police task force at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to swiftly and thoroughly investigate how voters were prevented from exercising their suffrage during the June 3 local elections.

Kim Tae-hun, the third deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, will head the 27-member task force, which comprises 12 prosecutors and 15 police officers. Two deputy heads will serve under him — Kim Hyeong-won, chief of the office's Public Investigation Division 2, and a police superintendent. The remaining prosecution staff consists of four prosecutors and six investigators.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said dedicated prosecution and police investigation teams would cooperate closely and focus their resources on moving the probe forward quickly, even before the task force formally launches.

President Lee Jae Myung said June 7 on social media that the National Election Commission "caused enormous disruption to the exercise of citizens' suffrage during the local elections." He added that he had ordered the joint task force to "clearly establish who is responsible and thoroughly investigate the full picture of the incident."

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said in a press notice the same day that prosecutors would swiftly form the joint task force and work in close cooperation with police to conduct an efficient investigation and rigorously address public doubts over the matter.

The task force is expected to take over related complaints and launch a full investigation. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Organized Crime Investigation Unit questioned a representative of civic group Seomin Minsaeng Daechaek Wiwonhoe on Monday as a complainant, after the group filed a complaint against former National Election Commission Chairman Noh Tae-ak and others on charges including dereliction of duty.

Police also questioned citizens who were unable to vote due to the ballot shortage, as well as civil servants mobilized for election duties, over the weekend.


bell@heraldcorp.com