Rho Tae-ak, head of the National Election Commission, speaks during a press conference at the government complex in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, South Korea, 20 May 2026, as the government is preparing for the June 3 local elections. He has since resigned in the wake of the ballot shortage scandal. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
June 8 (Asia Today) -- South Korean police began a formal investigation Monday into a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections, starting with questioning a complainant who accused election officials of dereliction of duty and abuse of authority.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's serious crimes unit questioned a representative of the Seomin Livelihood Measures Committee at 9:30 a.m. The group filed a complaint on election day against Roh Tae-ak, chairman of the National Election Commission and other officials on charges of dereliction of duty and abuse of authority.
The group filed another complaint Wednesday, adding allegations of occupational embezzlement and breach of trust.
Six other civic groups, including the Speculative Capital Monitoring Center, the National Solidarity, the Justice Solidarity and the Mugunghwa Club for Legal Democratization, also filed similar complaints with the National Office of Investigation through the government's online petition system.
