![National Election Commission Chairman Noh Tae-ak apologizes to the public over the ballot paper shortage at the commission's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/14/news-p.v1.20260605.d9707bfb0dff425c97ed2151b53d68ad_P1.jpg)
A joint prosecution-police task force investigating the ballot paper shortage that disrupted the June 3 local elections has completed a search and seizure of National Election Commission servers and will begin summoning witnesses in earnest next week.
The task force wrapped up its search and seizure of NEC servers on Saturday, according to Yonhap News Agency. Seized materials include internal messaging records and approval logs from the central commission.
Investigators plan to use the data to reconstruct the decision-making process behind the NEC's move to cut the number of ballots printed to 50 percent of the registered voter count, and to examine how officials responded after the shortage materialized.
Investigators are expected to focus particularly on whether dissent or concern was raised internally within the NEC during the decision-making process, and whether senior figures — including former NEC Chairman Noh Tae-ak — exerted undue influence.
The task force has been working through the weekend to set up its office and analyze seized materials. The police contingent assigned to the unit has also completed its formation and is sorting and transferring seized items at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's wide-area investigation unit.
The task force plans to finalize its office at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office early next week and bring prosecutors and police investigators together under one roof. Witness interviews with NEC working-level staff will begin as soon as the transfer of investigative materials is complete.
Investigators plan to first call in frontline staff from the district election commissions in Songpa, Seocho, Gangnam, Gwangjin and Dongjak-gu — the areas hardest hit by the ballot shortage — to reconstruct conditions on the ground. Those interviews will then inform summons of senior figures, including former Chairman Noh.
The central question in the investigation is whether NEC officials used improper means or exercised undue influence when deciding how many ballots to print and when responding to the resulting shortage.
When the task force searched seven locations — including the central NEC and the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission — on June 11, the warrants cited suspected violations of the Public Official Election Act, dereliction of duty, and embezzlement and breach of trust.
Article 85 of the Public Official Election Act prohibits civil servants and others from using their positions or official duties to exert improper influence over elections.
Article 237 of the same law punishes anyone who "obstructs the freedom of elections through improper means."
The dereliction of duty charge also sets a high bar: simple negligence is generally not enough for a conviction; the charge applies when a person knowingly and deliberately fails to carry out duties they are aware of.
Even if investigators establish that the ballot shortage disrupted the election, the critical issue remains whether NEC officials recognized the problem and nonetheless used their positions to exert undue influence or employed improper means.
The task force has said it will concentrate its investigative resources on reconstructing the NEC's internal decision-making process and determining the root cause of the ballot shortage as it continues to analyze seized materials and interview those involved.
paq@heraldcorp.com
