Allegations of 14 billion won worth of “below-spec” election equipment being delivered; special prosecutor raids NEC

[Financial News] The special prosecutor’s team investigating alleged misconduct at the National Election Commission found indications that election equipment failing to meet performance standards had been approved, leading to deliveries of equipment worth around 14 billion won, and moved to conduct a search and seizure.
The special prosecutor’s team said it began searching the National Election Commission and two residences belonging to suspects who are current and former NEC employees at around 9:10 a.m. on the 30th, and was securing relevant materials.
While investigating allegations of lax management across the institution involving current and former NEC commissioners and employees, the special prosecutor’s team found indications that NEC officials had engaged in misconduct while receiving large deliveries of expensive election equipment.
In particular, the team further found indications that, despite seeing evaluation results showing that more than half of the equipment slated for delivery failed to meet the performance standards for approval, officials approved it, allowing all the equipment worth around 14 billion won, including substandard items, to be delivered.
The team obtained search warrants for those involved on suspicion of breach of trust in the course of business and other offenses. A total of 17 people took part in the searches that day, including two prosecutors assigned to the team and five digital forensics investigators.
Based on its analysis of the seized materials, the team plans to determine whether NEC officials engaged in specific misconduct during the equipment delivery process and to investigate allegations of lax management.
 
[email protected] Choi Eun-sol Reporter