Parliamentary probe panel to summon 70 witnesses, including Yun Ho-jung, on July 1

By Joo So-hyun, The Herald Business

The National Assembly's special committee on the parliamentary investigation into the ballot shortage during the 9th nationwide local elections and related violations of citizens' voting rights has decided to summon 70 witnesses, including Minister of Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung, on July 1.

The committee voted Tuesday to require the attendance of 70 witnesses and five reference persons at its second institutional briefing, which will cover the National Election Commission, regional election commissions, the Ministry of Interior and Safety and the Korean National Police Agency.

Three witnesses from the Ministry of Interior and Safety, including Yun, were designated to testify on alleged infringements of voting rights. From the police, acting Korean National Police Agency chief Yoo Jae-sung, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency chief Park Jeong-bo and three other agency officials, along with two Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency officials, will be called to face questions about allegations of police assault on civilians, ballot box transfers and the Olympic Park protest.

Thirty officials from the National Election Commission — including acting NEC chairman Wi Cheol-hwan and former NEC chairman Noh Tae-ak, who had been designated as witnesses at the first institutional briefing — were also adopted as witnesses for the second briefing, along with eight officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission and 12 from the Songpa-gu Election Commission.

In addition, five reference persons, including Lee Hae-jun, chairman of the Korean Government Employees' Union, were designated to help the committee examine how local civil servants were mobilized for election duties.

At Tuesday's first institutional briefing, which focused on the National Election Commission, the committee summoned Noh and 43 other witnesses and reference persons — 44 in total — to question them about election management at the time. Sixteen of the 43 witnesses failed to appear in the morning session, but acting NEC chairman Wi intervened, and former Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission chairman Oh Min-seok, former Songpa-gu Election Commission chairwoman Min So-young and other Songpa-gu commissioners attended belatedly.

The committee's schedule calls for an on-site inspection on July 8, followed by a first hearing on July 14 and a second hearing on July 22.

The committee also decided to form a panel of expert investigators to examine structural problems within the NEC's organizational framework and draw up a comprehensive reform plan. The experts will be appointed with the approval of the National Assembly speaker and will report their findings and specific reform recommendations to the committee.