(LEAD) Election official found dead after special counsel questioning

SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- A National Election Commission (NEC) official was found dead Wednesday, a day after being questioned by a special counsel team investigating the election watchdog in connection with the unprecedented ballot shortages in the local elections.

According to the sources, the official in his 40s was found in the flowerbed of an apartment building in Hwaseong, about 45 kilometers south of Seoul, at 7:06 a.m. with a suicide note expressing grievances he felt during the questioning. Police suspect he jumped from his apartment.

The investigation team has been looking into why the ballot shortages happened and if any corruption or irregularities were involved in contracts for election-related supplies, such as early voting ballot boxes and voting site banners used in last year's presidential election and the June 3 local elections.

The deceased underwent questioning at the investigation team's office Tuesday as a suspect over alleged obstruction of the bidding process and breach of trust. The questioning ended around 8:55 p.m., and the official left the office at 10:40 p.m. after reviewing his statement given during the questioning.

The special counsel's team expressed condolences but denied any unfair treatment.

"We express deep condolences to the deceased," the team said. "As seen in the suspect voluntarily reviewing and revising his statement, there was no coercive situation."

The NEC voiced deep regret over the official's death, saying the commission takes the incident "seriously."

"It is deeply regrettable that he lost his precious life after suffering from severe psychological distress due to the ongoing investigation," it said in a statement.

The special counsel team launched its investigation on Sept. 7 to look into a series of allegations surrounding the NEC. Earlier Wednesday, the team raided the home of former NEC Chairman Roh Tae-ak to collect evidence.