The joint prosecution-police investigation team probing the truth behind the ballot paper shortage has launched a coercive investigation after capturing signs of statistics manipulation by National Election Commission (NEC) working-level officials.

The Joint Investigation Headquarters for Uncovering the Truth behind Violations of Citizens' Right to Vote (headed by Kim Tae-hoon, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office) announced that it has been conducting raids since this morning (July 23) on the NEC in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, as well as the Songpa-gu, Gangnam-gu, and Seocho-gu election commissions.

It was learned that the search and seizure warrants include charges such as falsification of official electronic records and obstruction of official duties.

The joint investigation body explained, "We have discovered signs that officials from the central and Gyeonggi provincial election commissions entered false voter turnout figures during the recent local elections, and we are simultaneously conducting raids against them."

The joint body reportedly confirmed that working-level NEC officials in charge of managing local polling stations arbitrarily modified computerized statistical figures to cover up mistakes in misentering the number of voters.

Instead of following procedures that require reporting misentries to superiors and modifying the figures through official approval, the working-level staff manipulated the statistics by arbitrarily changing the numbers.

The joint investigation team was launched on June 9 following instructions from President Lee Jae-myung to swiftly clarify the circumstances surrounding the ballot paper shortage that occurred during the June 3 local elections.

Just two days after its launch, on June 11, the team kicked off full-scale investigations by raiding the National Election Commission.

On June 24, the team raided the offices of officials from the Seoul and Songpa-gu election commissions, where the ballot paper shortage took place, securing materials related to the NEC's response on election day.

It is understood that the joint body subsequently uncovered signs of vote statistics manipulation by working-level staff on election day during the analysis of seized materials and questioning of related persons.

The team has reportedly secured messenger conversation logs showing that NEC staff conspired not to report the voter count misentries to their superiors, but instead to arbitrarily adjust them to "make the numbers match."

Once the analysis of the seized items is complete, the joint investigation body plans to summon NEC officials to verify the circumstances under which the manipulation, such as entering false voter turnout rates, took place.

If the investigation reveals that statistical manipulation actually occurred, projections suggest that the joint body's probe could expand beyond the June 3 local elections to encompass past elections overall.

Whether statistical manipulation occurred in past elections, and whether arbitrary modifications were made to statistical indicators other than the number of voters, are also expected to come under investigation.

(Photo: Yonhap News)