Former NEC Chair Noh Tae-ak Reported for Embezzlement Over Spousal Overseas Trips

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As we exclusively reported yesterday, June 17, former National Election Commission (NEC) Chairperson Noh Tae-ak took his spouse on three separate overseas business trips using public funds, a fact the NEC omitted from its publicly disclosed reports. The People Power Party has decided to file a complaint against the former chairperson on charges of occupational embezzlement. Meanwhile, a National Assembly parliamentary investigation into the ballot paper shortage incident began today.

Reporter Kim Kwan-jin has the story.

[Reporter]

The fact that former NEC Chairperson Noh Tae-ak was accompanied by his spouse on all three of his overseas business trips during his tenure was first brought to light by an SBS report.

State funds were used to cover the spouse's airfare and accommodation expenses, yet the NEC did not disclose the fact that the trips were accompanied by a spouse in its publicly released reports.

The People Power Party announced it would file a complaint against the former chairperson with the joint investigation headquarters of the prosecution and police on charges of occupational embezzlement.

Even within the Democratic Party, criticism has emerged that such "spousal accompaniment on business trips" is difficult to understand.

[Park Jie-won / Democratic Party Lawmaker (KBS Radio 'Jeongyeok Sisa') : Wasn't he a respected Supreme Court Justice? At the very least, if he had said he paid for his wife's expenses himself... It is completely incomprehensible.]

The National Assembly's Special Committee on Parliamentary Investigation, tasked with probing the ballot paper shortage during the June 3 local elections, began its 45-day operation today.

At the first plenary session held today, the committee appointed People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun as its chairperson and finalized the scope of the investigation.

The special committee plans to focus on the specific circumstances that led to the suspension of voting due to the failure to supply ballot papers on time, as well as the decision-making process that allowed the use of "unnumbered ballots" that lacked serial numbers.

(Video reporting: Lee Seung-hwan | Video editing: Jang Hyun-ki)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.