The entrance to an office of the National Election Commission (NEC) is seen in Seoul, South Korea, 07 August 2026. Investigators from a joint prosecution-police task force began a search and seizure at the NEC’s headquarters in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, and other local commissions in the capital, Gyeonggi and North Chungcheong provinces to secure evidence over suspicions of data manipulation in connection with the 03 June local elections. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
Aug. 9 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties are heading into a pivotal week in their dispute over the National Election Commission, with a third parliamentary hearing, selection of special prosecutor candidates and a proposed public ballot recount all approaching.
The main opposition People Power Party is demanding a broader examination of the commission’s computer systems following allegations that voter totals were entered or changed before the actual recorded times.
The party also wants the investigation expanded beyond the June 3 local elections to include the 2024 parliamentary elections and the 2025 presidential election.
A special National Assembly investigative committee is scheduled to hold its third hearing at 10 a.m. Monday.
The committee plans to question 29 witnesses, including former National Election Commission Chairman Roh Tae-ak, acting Chairman Wi Cheol-hwan, former Secretary-General Heo Cheol-hun and acting Secretary-General Kang Dong-wan.
The parliamentary investigation was launched after ballot shortages disrupted voting at several polling places during the June 3 local elections, including locations in Seoul’s Songpa District. Both major parties have since backed a special prosecutor investigation into the commission.
Alleged voter-count entries expected to dominate hearing
One of the main issues at Monday’s hearing is expected to be allegations that voter counts were entered into election commission systems before the corresponding actual times.
People Power Party lawmaker Ju Jin-woo said Sunday that his review of election commission log records found suspected cases at 117 locations.
Ju said the cases involved 47 locations from the June local elections, 26 from the 2025 presidential election and 44 from the 2024 parliamentary elections.
He alleged that voter totals in some cases were entered at least 90 minutes earlier than the actual time.
The allegations have not been independently established as evidence that vote totals themselves were manipulated.
Ju called for an investigation without restrictions, including by a special prosecutor and through the continuing parliamentary probe.
The hearing is also expected to address a recent search and seizure of election commission facilities by a joint police-prosecution investigation team as well as broader questions about management of the commission’s computer systems.
Opposition wants review expanded to earlier elections
The People Power Party plans to use the hearing to press for a comprehensive review of the National Election Commission’s election-management systems.
The party says questions raised by the June 3 local elections should not be examined in isolation and wants investigators to review data from the 2024 parliamentary elections and the 2025 presidential election.
The ruling Democratic Party has not agreed to such a broad expansion of the inquiry.
The parliamentary investigation originally focused on election-management failures surrounding the June local elections, when shortages of ballots at some polling locations prevented or delayed some voters from casting ballots.
The National Election Commission’s own fact-finding panel later recommended criminal investigations of former and current officials over the ballot shortage and broader management failures.
Special prosecutor candidates to be narrowed to two
The selection of a special prosecutor will move forward after the parliamentary hearing.
Under the bipartisan law passed by the National Assembly, a public recommendation committee will review six candidates – three recommended by the Korean Bar Association and three by the Korean Association of Law Schools.
The committee is expected to select two finalists and recommend them to the president by Friday.
The president must then appoint one of the two candidates as special prosecutor within three days of receiving the recommendation.
The ruling Democratic Party and the People Power Party agreed in July to establish the special prosecutor investigation following weeks of disagreement over how the investigator should be selected.
Parties remain divided over Olympic Park recount
Another major point of contention is a proposed recount of ballots stored at the Olympic Park counting facility in Seoul’s Songpa District.
The parties have tentatively agreed to conduct the recount Aug. 18.
The Democratic Party wants the recount to proceed on that timetable, pointing to the parliamentary investigation committee’s current mandate, which runs through the end of August.
The People Power Party, however, says the recount should take place only after the special prosecutor begins work and should be conducted publicly with representatives of the special prosecutor present.
The National Assembly investigative committee earlier reached a tentative agreement to recount about 2.47 million ballots stored at Olympic Park, while leaving open the possibility of adjusting the date depending on the progress of the special prosecutor investigation.
If the parties fail to resolve their disagreement over the timing and procedure, the recount could become another source of political confrontation.
National Assembly schedule adds another point of friction
The National Assembly’s plenary schedule could also affect the dispute.
The Democratic Party has proposed holding a plenary session Thursday.
The People Power Party opposes the plan in part because of a possible vote on a proposed revision of the National Assembly Act that is being handled under an expedited legislative procedure.
That disagreement has left the plenary session uncertain.
The election commission dispute is therefore expected to reach several critical points this week: what emerges from the third parliamentary hearing, who is chosen as a special prosecutor candidate and whether the two parties can agree on how and when to conduct the recount.
A broader political battle is also likely over how far allegations raised during the parliamentary investigation should carry into the independent special prosecutor’s investigation.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260810010002805
