Special prosecutor of the National Election Commission detects collusion in ballot counting machines... Search and seizure of businesses and residences
Repeated private contracts for about 10 years, spending about 17.5 billion won
Quick Look
- Lee Tae-han, a special prosecutor team from the National Election Commission, discovered price fixing between two ballot counting machine companies contracted with the National Election Commission and began a search and seizure on charges of violating the Fair Trade Act.
- It was confirmed that about 17.5 billion won was spent on repeated private contracts between the two companies over a period of about 10 years.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The National Election Commission's special prosecutor team, Lee Tae-han, who is investigating the ballot paper shortage in the June 3 local elections, identified circumstances in which ballot counting machine companies contracted with the National Election Commission had colluded prices and began collecting evidence.
The National Election Commission's special prosecutor team, Lee Tae-han, who is investigating the ballot paper shortage in the June 3 local elections, identified circumstances in which ballot counting machine companies contracted with the National Election Commission had colluded prices and began collecting evidence.
The National Election Commission's special prosecution team announced that it was conducting search and seizure of the offices of two ballot counting machine companies and the residences of their operators starting at 9 a.m. on the 9th on charges of violating the Fair Trade Act.
While examining the process by which the National Election Commission spent a total of 17.5 billion won while repeatedly renting counters from two companies through private contracts over a period of about 10 years, the special investigation team discovered circumstances where such repeated contracts were due to collusion between the two companies.
The special prosecutor's team determined that this constitutes a charge of violation of the Fair Trade Act by unfairly restricting competition as defined by the National Contract Act.
Previously, the special prosecution team had seized and searched the relevant departments of the National Election Commission on October 15 and secured data regarding allegations of collusion between counter companies.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
There is a possibility that criminal prosecution and fines will be imposed on companies involved in collusion.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What are the specific names of the two companies involved in the collusion?
- What evidence was secured as a result of the search and seizure?
- What is the duration of the collusion and the specific size of the price increase?
