Special prosecutor opens ballot verification in Songpa-gu amid election fraud probe

The special prosecutor investigating allegations of misconduct by the National Election Commission — including a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections — launched a voluntary verification Wednesday of ballots and on-site closed-circuit television footage from Songpa-gu, Seoul. Special Prosecutor Lee Tae-han said he hoped the process would "improve election administration and serve as an opportunity to restore public trust."

The special prosecutor's team visited the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium on Wednesday morning, where approximately 2.47 million ballots from the June 3 local elections in Songpa-gu, along with on-site CCTV equipment, are stored. The team mobilized more than 110 personnel — including Lee, five deputy special prosecutors, senior prosecutors and prosecutors — as well as investigative equipment. The Korean National Police Agency and the National Forensic Service also provided personnel and equipment support.

Lee said the team would first review CCTV footage of the storage area to check for any unauthorized entry, with that footage to be submitted and reviewed at the office. "We will then inspect the ballot storage boxes and their seals, and after opening them, examine the total number of ballots and their printed condition," he said. "If any irregular ballots are found, we plan to conduct a detailed forensic examination."

On Tuesday, the special prosecutor's team executed a search and seizure warrant at the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium, deploying 12 personnel — including two prosecutors and forensic investigators — to seize election-related documents and CCTV materials stored there from Songpa-gu.

Lee said the team also intends to separately collect ballot-sorting machines and related equipment to examine them for potential hacking or operational errors. "The scope and targets of that examination may vary somewhat depending on the results of the ballot verification," he said. "We have mobilized all available resources for this voluntary verification. Related agencies, including the police, have also provided personnel support."

He said the team was fully aware of the public distrust in South Korea's electoral system, shaped by the ballot shortage and voting suspension during the local elections. "We are conducting this investigation with a profound sense of responsibility and vigilance," he said, and went on to say he hoped the verification and the ongoing investigation would "improve the problems in current election administration and serve as an opportunity to restore public trust."

From 7 a.m. Wednesday, about 100 protesters carrying South Korean and American flags gathered in front of the handball gymnasium, chanting slogans demanding a re-election, same-day voting and manual ballot counting. About 15 minutes later, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency support personnel arrived at the nearby Woori Financial Art Hall. When People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok and other party leadership arrived at the scene at 7:25 a.m., the crowd grew louder, chanting "Go, Jang Dong-hyeok" and "Jang Dong-hyeok is the best."

Lee and the rest of the special prosecutor's team entered the handball gymnasium at 8:28 a.m. When some 500 National Election Commission personnel — brought in to conduct an initial count of the ballots — followed them inside, protesters pushed back, shouting that it was "like giving fish to a cat" and demanding to know why "unqualified people" were conducting a recount.

Inside the venue, about 40 tables were set up as counting stations, with 12 observers seated at each. However, the verification, originally scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., was delayed after some observers demanded permission to photograph and record the proceedings. Lee rejected the request, saying that allowing individual photography would create security concerns and disrupt the process.

People Power Party Supreme Council member Kim Min-su then raised his voice in support of the observers, demanding that filming be permitted. Observers also clashed with one another over the issue, further delaying the start of the verification. One observer threatened to withdraw and declared the verification invalid if filming was not allowed.

The special prosecutor's team was in discussions to decide whether to grant the request.