South Korean investigators raided the National Election Commission headquarters and provincial election offices on Wednesday, probing allegations that officials manipulated voter turnout figures to cover up errors during the June 3 local elections.
The joint prosecution-police task force, established on June 9, suspects election staff altered system data on voter numbers after a ballot shortage hit 91 polling stations nationwide, mostly in Seoul. The commission had attributed the shortage to underestimating turnout and printing fewer ballots. Two election officials have been formally designated as suspects for allegedly falsifying electronic records.
The scandal prompted commission chairman Rho Tae-ak to resign. Ballot shortages sparked protests in Seoul, including a rally of roughly 10,000 people. Opposition figure Jang Dong-hyeok has called for a new election.