[Anchor]

Following our report on the multiple overseas trips taken by former National Election Commission (NEC) Chairperson Noh Tae-ak accompanied by his spouse, the joint investigation team of prosecutors and police, which is probing the ballot paper shortage incident, has launched a compulsory investigation into allegations of leisure-oriented trips by NEC officials.

Reporter Jeon Yeonnam has the story.

[Reporter]

Investigators from the joint investigation team enter the National Election Commission carrying blue boxes.

They have launched a search and seizure operation regarding allegations of operational misconduct within the NEC, including the suspicion that former Chairperson Noh Tae-ak took overseas trips accompanied by his spouse.

The scope of the search and seizure includes the chairperson's office and budget-related departments. It is reported that the warrant lists former Chairperson Noh and unnamed NEC employees as suspects on charges of professional embezzlement.

However, the residence of the former chairperson was excluded from the search and seizure.

During his tenure, former Chairperson Noh traveled abroad three times with his spouse to countries including Australia and Denmark, with over 160 million won in budget funds spent on these trips.

As these details were not recorded in official reports, the People Power Party filed a complaint against the former chairperson, raising allegations of embezzlement.

[Noh Tae-ak/Former National Election Commission Chairperson: Everything has been done exactly as it was done before, and there had been no objections raised, nor were there any particular questions. I feel deeply apologetic.]

NEC officials who traveled to resort destinations such as the Maldives and Kota Kinabalu between 2022 and last month, under the pretext of learning about election systems, have also been reported on charges of embezzlement.

The joint investigation team plans to summon NEC officials to verify the circumstances under which the overseas trips by the former chairperson and his spouse, as well as the employees, were conducted, once the analysis of the computers and related materials seized during this operation is complete.

(Video reporting: Lee Sang-hak, Video editing: Kim Jong-mi)