Exclusive: North Chungcheong election commission employee given suspended indictment over forged election expense documents

By Choi Eui-jong, The Herald Business

Amid growing controversy over voting rights violations stemming from a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections, it has been confirmed that a North Chungcheong Province Election Commission employee received a suspended indictment last month on charges of forging election expense documents.

Criminal Division 3 of the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office (chief prosecutor Yoo Si-dong) issued the suspended indictment on May 18 against the employee, identified only as A, on charges of forging official documents and using forged official documents. A suspended indictment means prosecutors acknowledged the charges but determined the case did not rise to the level requiring a trial, closing the matter without prosecution.

A is accused of altering or falsely preparing election expense payment resolutions approximately 480 times at the North Chungcheong Election Commission around 2023. A also faces charges of submitting the forged or altered documents to approving officials as if they were legitimately prepared records.

In March last year, a National Election Commission audit found that the North Chungcheong Election Commission had disbursed funds for local and commissioned elections without proper reporting or approval procedures. Reports indicated the irregularities covered 660 cases totaling more than 23 billion won (about $15.1 million).

In response, civic group Jayu Daehan Hogukdan filed a complaint the same month with the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency against then-National Election Commission Chairman Roh Tae-ak, Secretary General Kim Yong-bin, Deputy Secretary General Heo Cheol-hun, the head of the North Chungcheong Election Commission's secretariat, and an unidentified accounting civil servant. The complaint alleged forgery and alteration of official documents, preparation of false official documents, use of forged official documents, and dereliction of duty.

"Election expenses are funded by taxpayer money and must be managed and disbursed transparently and lawfully," the group said. "More than 23 billion won in election funds was disbursed arbitrarily without proper procedures, and related documents were forged, altered or omitted, resulting in improper management of public funds and losses to the national treasury."

The North Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency, which took over the case, referred only rank-and-file employee A to prosecutors on charges of forging official documents and using forged official documents. Prosecutors determined the case did not warrant a trial and issued a suspended indictment, closing the matter without prosecution.