Deceased NEC Official's Will Stated, "No Resentment Toward Special Counsel"

▲ National Election Commission

The special counsel team investigating the National Election Commission (NEC) led by Lee Tae-han stated today (October 23) that an inspection of the will left by an NEC official who died a day after undergoing suspect questioning revealed no mentions of coercive investigation.

The special counsel team explained that the will instead contained messages stating no resentment toward the NEC special counsel, alongside points criticizing problems within the NEC organization.

The team added that it verified the will through proper procedures to prevent unnecessary controversy.

Previously on the morning of October 21, an NEC official in their 40s was found dead at an apartment.

The deceased appeared before the special counsel team as a suspect the day before the death, underwent questioning with legal counsel present, and returned home at around 11:00 PM.

On the afternoon of the official's death, the NEC issued a statement expressing hope that the exact circumstances of the death would be swiftly verified through relevant authorities, while stating deep regret that the continued investigation led to extreme psychological pressure and the loss of a precious life.

Attorney Park Hyun-jung of Dodam Law Firm, who attended the questioning of the deceased, also claimed that the deceased faced pressure and coercion during the special counsel investigation, and mentioned deficiencies during the drafting of the suspect interrogation protocol.

The special counsel team maintains that these claims are untrue, stating there was no coercive atmosphere during the questioning and no objections were raised regarding the investigation or the contents of the protocol.

The special counsel team is expanding its investigation into suspected bidding irregularities, looking into overall service contracts for election supplies by the NEC, such as early voting boxes and polling station guide signs during past presidential and June 3 local elections.

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