After Election, NEC Faces Scrutiny Over Budget Mismanagement and Staffing Practices

00:00 Intro
01:25 Budget Reallocated Across Projects: 255 Cases, Over 30.5 Billion Won
02:18 Funds Designated for Specific Projects Diverted: 80% Used for Personnel Costs
03:12 Is the "Salary Shortfall" Crisis Due to Year-End Returns?
04:47 Numerous Unauthorized Budget Transfers: Controversy Over Potential Legal Violations
06:01 Criticism of "Broken System" Ignites Constitutional Amendment Debate

The National Election Commission (NEC) is facing intense public backlash following the ballot paper shortage during the June 3 local elections. Concerns over the infringement of voting rights, combined with scrutiny of the commission's lax administrative practices, have kept the issue at the center of the news cycle. Analysts suggest that the NEC's long-standing status as an independent constitutional body, which has shielded it from oversight and control, may have contributed to the current crisis.

[Yoon Sang-hyun, Chair of the Special Committee on the Ballot Paper Shortage: The independence of the National Election Commission, guaranteed by the Constitution, is meant to ensure accountability to the people, not to grant immunity after infringing upon their voting rights.]

A parliamentary investigation is currently underway, and both ruling and opposition parties are discussing the introduction of a special counsel to identify those responsible and ensure accountability. SBS has previously reported on various issues regarding the NEC, including allegations of overseas trips by former NEC Chairperson Roh Tae-ak and his spouse, as well as structural problems such as the fact that 70% of additional ballots delivered on election day lacked serial numbers, which caused emergency response difficulties. Furthermore, the SBS reporting team has now uncovered issues regarding the NEC's budget management. The NEC typically prepares its budget for the following year around August and receives funding after parliamentary review. While public funds must be used for their intended purposes, it has been revealed that the NEC has frequently transferred and diverted funds for various reasons.

1. Budget Reallocated Across Projects: 255 Cases, Over 30.5 Billion Won
SBS obtained the "Status of Budget Transfers and Diversions by the National Election Commission over the Past 3 Years" through the office of People Power Party lawmaker Kim Ki-hyeon. A year-by-year breakdown shows 4 cases totaling approximately 3.67 billion won in 2023, 154 cases totaling approximately 24.1 billion won in 2024, and 97 cases totaling approximately 2.63 billion won in 2025. In total, this amounts to 255 cases and about 30.5 billion won. The scale and frequency of budget reallocations were significantly higher in 2024, the year of the National Assembly elections, the largest nationwide election. While budget transfers may be necessary in urgent situations, our reporting team raised concerns because the frequency and scale suggest this is not merely an exceptional circumstance. Further investigation revealed that the majority of these reallocations were due to personnel costs.

2. Funds Designated for Specific Projects Diverted: 80% Used for Personnel Costs
Over the past three years, 212 cases of budget reallocation—83% of the total—amounting to 7.3 billion won, were used to cover personnel costs. Specifically, funds originally intended for election management, entrusted election management, election broadcast debates, support for political party offices, election information and record management, international exchange projects, and the "Overseas Dissemination of Korean Election Systems" (an ODA project) were diverted to cover salaries. These were funds requested under the premise that they were essential for specific projects. In December 2024, 2.3 billion won originally earmarked for National Assembly election management was used to cover internal personnel costs. The diversion of funds for personnel costs peaked in 2024, reaching 5.9 billion won. When asked why so much of the budget was reallocated, particularly for personnel costs, the NEC responded that it was due to a high number of staff returning from leave at the end of the year.

3. Is the "Salary Shortfall" Crisis Due to Year-End Returns?
The high number of NEC staff on leave before elections is a recurring issue raised annually in the National Assembly. According to 2024 data obtained by SBS, the number of employees on leave reached 176 around April, when the general election took place. The number dropped to 119 by the end of August and 114 by the end of September, before rising slightly to 127 by the end of December. This pattern of staff taking leave before elections and quietly returning afterward has led to criticism of "moral hazard" that disrupts election management. As 40 to 50 employees returned to work, the year-end personnel costs, including performance bonuses and leave compensation, increased, leading to the budget reallocations.

[Kim Ki-hyeon, People Power Party Lawmaker: Since the budget is funded by taxpayers' money, it should be used in accordance with the purposes reviewed by the National Assembly. However, the unchecked NEC has managed it as if it were their own pocket money.]

The NEC acknowledged that there were shortfalls in civil servant salaries in 2024 and 2025. However, they explained that 2024 had unique circumstances, noting that the manual counting process during the general election required hiring additional counting staff and renting extra equipment, which exhausted the originally allocated personnel budget. They stated that as the number of returning staff increased, they had to divert funds from other categories to cover salaries. They also added that they considered the possibility that budget requests might not pass parliamentary review if personnel costs were set too high.

4. Numerous Unauthorized Budget Transfers: Controversy Over Potential Legal Violations
Allegations have been raised that the NEC may have violated the National Finance Act in the process of reallocating its budget. The law requires approval from the Ministry of Economy and Finance for budget transfers. The NEC received approval for 219 cases totaling 15.3 billion won, which is about half of the total 30.5 billion won. This implies that the rest were diverted internally without approval. When asked about this, the NEC cited Article 46, Paragraph 2 of the relevant law, claiming that the internal reallocations fell within the scope of authority delegated by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The NEC also maintains a six-page internal regulation titled "Scope of Delegated Authority for Internal Budget Use." According to these regulations, while internal diversion of personnel costs is possible, items such as regular wages, leave compensation, and other staff salaries require consultation with the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The NEC claims it did not violate these rules. However, given that the amount of internal reallocations reached approximately 15 billion won, the NEC faces criticism that it should have minimized the use of such exceptions, even if not strictly illegal. Some have criticized the practice as a "trick" and "careless use of taxpayer money," suggesting that the NEC needs to re-examine its administrative practices.

5. Criticism of "Broken System" Ignites Constitutional Amendment Debate
The Special Committee on the Ballot Paper Shortage held its first meeting on June 23 to address these issues. Both ruling and opposition parties voiced strong criticism regarding the NEC's poor reporting, management systems, lax management, and internal discipline, which triggered the ballot paper shortage. There are frequent calls for "structural reform at the level of dismantling the organization." The committee decided to form an "Expert Preliminary Investigation Team" to prepare comprehensive reform measures. Furthermore, the NEC responded that a "one-point constitutional amendment" could be considered if necessary. However, Special Committee Chair Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party expressed a difference in opinion regarding constitutional reform, suggesting instead that they should "create a neutral standing audit committee within the NEC and establish a system to report to the National Assembly." The second meeting of the special committee and the agency report are scheduled for July 1.

Reported by Son Hyung-an | Written by Shin Hee-sook | Video by Choi Ho-jun | Video Editing by Hong Jin-young | Graphics by Lee Soo-min | Produced by SBS Digital News




※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.