The National Election Commission (NEC) stated today (July 7) that there are some blind spots not covered by closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in and around the ballot box storage area at the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, which has been blocked by protests following the ballot paper shortage during the June 3 local elections.

In a report submitted today to Representative Yoon Sang-hyun, chairman of the National Assembly Special Committee on the June 3 local election ballot shortage, the NEC stated, "The CCTVs related to the storage area for ballots and other materials are fixed-type and cannot rotate, and it has been identified that there are some blind spots in the recording range."

Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, which manages the CCTV system, also acknowledged the existence of these blind spots in a report submitted to Chairman Yoon.

Korea Sports Promotion Foundation explained that three CCTVs are monitoring the path leading to the office where evidence, including ballot boxes, is stored, and that they have been operating 24 hours a day from June 3, the day of the election, until today.

However, it added that because all three cameras are fixed, blind spots occur, and there are no CCTVs inside the office where the ballot boxes are kept.

Korea Sports Promotion Foundation also reported that there is no CCTV to capture the entrance to the office.

Regarding the recorded footage, it stated, "The NEC has not viewed the footage in question, and the footage is being preserved separately."

The NEC also responded that CCTV footage is preserved for 30 days from the date of recording, and it understands that the management entity backed up the footage after the election day at the request of the joint investigation headquarters.

Previously, during its first on-site inspection of the handball gymnasium counting station on July 2, the special committee confirmed with their own eyes that 2.47 million ballot papers and ballot boxes were being preserved.

The committee also criticized the Songpa-gu Election Commission after confirming circumstances suggesting that the CCTVs and other security measures were being poorly managed.

Currently, approximately 380 ballot boxes from across Songpa-gu, 2.47 million ballot papers, and voting and counting records remain in two basement offices at the handball gymnasium without being removed.

Chairman Yoon stated, "During the first on-site inspection, members of the special committee pointed out the operational status of the CCTVs and the issue of blind spots in the ballot box storage area, and through the materials submitted this time, it has been confirmed that the CCTVs are operated as fixed-type, resulting in the existence of blind spots."

He emphasized, "As the credibility of an election begins with thorough management, we will closely examine whether the security and management systems of the ballot storage facilities were operated appropriately during today's second on-site inspection of the NEC and the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission."

(Photo: National Assembly Press Corps, Yonhap News)