The joint police-prosecution investigative team probing voting rights violations during the June 3 local elections is focusing its efforts on determining how the decision was made to lower the minimum ballot printing threshold to 50 percent.
According to legal sources Tuesday, the joint investigative team — led by Kim Tae-hun — summoned the lead researcher behind a policy research report commissioned by the National Election Commission as a reference witness for questioning.
The ballot shortage that emerged during the June 3 local elections has been attributed in part to a reduction in the minimum ballot printing ratio from 60 percent to 50 percent. Acting NEC Chairman Wi Cheol-hwan said in a public apology last month that the commission had commissioned a policy research study from the Korea Institute of Public Administration and lowered the minimum printing ratio for election-day ballots to 50 percent based on the findings of a procedural reform TF.
The Korea Institute of Public Administration's 2022 report — titled "Improving Election Procedural Operations: Focusing on District, City and County Commission Procedures" — reportedly recommended reducing the volume of ballots printed for election day by taking into account turnout rates and early voting rates for each election.
In connection with the investigation, the joint team questioned a Korea Institute of Public Administration official on Thursday and the head of the procedural reform TF on Monday as reference witnesses. The team questioned the lead researcher of the policy report Tuesday to examine the background behind the decision to lower the minimum printing ratio.
The joint team also questioned the head of a company that shreds ballot storage boxes Tuesday. Earlier, after the local elections, the Seoul Eastern District Court conducted an on-site inspection of Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong to secure evidence, but the ballot boxes were found to have disappeared. Two members of the Dongjak-gu election commission were also scheduled to be questioned as reference witnesses that day.
The joint team has also taken over from the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office an investigation into allegations that the NEC submitted fraudulent budget requests to the Ministry of Economy and Finance — omitting hiring irregularities and issues flagged by the Board of Audit and Inspection. Senior prosecutor Im Hong-seok and other newly assigned investigators are reviewing materials related to allegations involving NEC personnel and budget matters.
The joint team has also received and is investigating a complaint filed over allegations that former NEC Chairman Noh Tae-ak and NEC staff members took overseas trips that amounted to leisure junkets.
bell@heraldcorp.com
