[Anchor]

The National Election Commission has drawn up plans to spend 1.4 billion won to install boundary fences and reinforce security guard posts around its office building. The commission explains this is because its building has been designated as a national critical facility of the highest security grade, but critics are raising concerns that the election body is "fortifying" its office using taxpayers' money.

Here is a report by reporter Park Chan-beom.

[Reporter]

According to the "2027 Budget Request Project Description Material" submitted by the National Election Commission to the National Assembly, the commission's total budget proposal for next year stands at 478.3 billion won.

Among this total, 1.463 billion won has been allocated for office building defense.

Looking at the detailed breakdown, about 320 million won will be spent on installing a 2.7-meter-high fence surrounding the building to prevent trespassing and setting up security guard posts in various locations. Another 460 million won is earmarked for replacing the main gate and installing obstacles to prevent forced vehicle entries.

Budgets for defensive equipment are also included, such as 80 million won for an anti-drone gun designed to bring down drones, 3.3 million won for gas sprayers, and 4.4 million won for expandable batons.

The election commission has also requested 29 million won to purchase gun safes and communication equipment in accordance with a plan to newly organize a workplace reserve force.

With the public already casting critical gazes over internal issues within the election commission, such as ballot shortages and voter turnout manipulation incidents, the disclosure of a budget for "office fortification" aimed at blocking external intrusion has drawn criticism as being "out of touch."

[Kim Eun-hye / People Power Party Lawmaker: They are being told to reform to the point of dismantling, yet they are talking about 'fortification'? Instead of self-reflection, are they only looking out for their own survival? The National Assembly's budget deliberation will not let this pass quietly.]

An official from the National Election Commission told SBS, "This is a measure to reinforce security following the designation of our office building as 'Grade A,' the highest security level among national critical facilities, starting last December," adding that "this is not an excessive budget request."

(Video by: Kim Nam-sung | Video Editing by: Lee Seung-jin | Design: Choi Jin-hoe, Lee So-jung)