Special prosecutor conducts search and seizure at 5 locations, including the National Election Commission, for 'corruption in bidding for election supplies'

Suspicions of collusion worth 5 billion won with a specific company were confirmed during last year's presidential election and this year's local election.

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Won-jeong = Lee Tae-han, the National Election Commission's special prosecutor team, has begun a mandatory investigation into allegations of corruption in the National Election Commission's bid for election supplies.

The special prosecutor's team announced on the 14th that it was seizing and searching five places, including the National Election Commission and election equipment-related companies in Gimpo-si and Daegu, Gyeonggi-do, on charges of breach of trust and interference with bidding, starting around 8 a.m. on the 14th.

A total of 31 personnel, including 6 forensic investigators from the Special Prosecutor's Office and 3 forensic investigators from the National Police Agency, were deployed to the search and seizure site.

The special investigation team announced that it had confirmed suspicions that the National Election Commission was in collusion with a specific company during the production of polling station equipment sets worth a total of 5 billion won during last year's 21st presidential election and this year's local elections.

The special prosecutor's team plans to analyze the seized items to look into the overall suspicions of the National Election Commission's negligent operation, including preferential treatment of private contracts and collusion with companies, and uncover the responsibilities of those involved.