Han Dong-hoon introduces first bill to bring election watchdog under audit oversight

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon on Monday introduced a bill to subject the National Election Commission to performance audits by the Board of Audit and Inspection — his first piece of legislation since entering the National Assembly.

In a press release issued that day, Han cited the ballot shortage that disrupted voting during the June 3 local elections and a controversy over preferential hiring at the NEC, saying the commission's independence "must not become a sanctuary that shields incompetence and corruption."

The proposed amendment to the Board of Audit and Inspection Act would establish a legal basis for including the NEC and its civil servants at all levels within the scope of the board's performance audits. However, the bill bars audit findings from being reported to the president — a provision designed to prevent political interference through the audit process.

Han said that during the recent local elections, 91 polling stations nationwide ran out of ballots, with voting temporarily suspended at 26 of them, violating citizens' right to vote. He added that the preferential hiring controversy had further eroded public trust in the NEC, making an external oversight mechanism necessary.

"This amendment to the Board of Audit and Inspection Act is not a law that undermines the NEC's independence — it is a law that adds accountability to that independence," Han said. "It will be the first step toward building responsibility through external audits and restoring the public trust that has collapsed."

Han plans to follow the bill with additional legislation on NEC reform. A second bill would restrict NEC staff from taking leave during nationwide election periods to minimize staffing gaps, while a third would convert the NEC chairperson into a full-time position and restructure the commission's judiciary-heavy governance model.

Thirty-two People Power Party lawmakers joined Han as co-sponsors, including Kim Gi-hyeon, Yoon Sang-hyeon, Kim Do-eup, Kim Tae-ho, Park Dae-chul, Yoo Eui-dong, Yoon Jae-ok, Lee Heon-seung and Han Gi-ho.