The Joint Investigation Team conducted a search and seizure of 12 officials from the National Election Commission. [Yonhap News File Photo]The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), formed to uncover the truth behind the "ballot paper shortage" during the June 3 local elections, continues its investigation into National Election Commission (NEC) staff and on-site public officials.

According to legal sources, the JIT summoned one employee from the Songpa-gu Election Commission for questioning as a reference witness on the 29th.

This employee is known to have been responsible for managing polling stations in the Seoul area, including Jamsil 7-dong, where the ballot shortage incident occurred.

The JIT is focusing on determining how the NEC officials who were notified of the ballot shortage at polling stations reported the situation internally and what instructions they received in response.

To this end, the JIT conducted a search and seizure of 12 NEC officials on the 24th. Since then, they have been summoning these individuals for questioning to reconstruct the reporting lines and response measures taken on the day of the election.

Once the questioning of staff and the analysis of the seized materials are completed, the investigation is expected to shift focus toward "higher-ups," including former NEC Chairperson Noh Tae-ak and former Secretary-General Heo Cheol-hoon, who have already been booked as suspects.

The JIT is also summoning six local government officials who worked at the polling stations for questioning as reference witnesses today.

These individuals are understood to have served as polling station supervisors or in similar roles at the Seoul-area polling stations where the ballot shortage occurred.

Discussions regarding increasing the JIT's manpower are also ongoing.

Previously, President Lee Jae-myung mentioned the need for an investigation into the overall internal operations of the NEC during a cabinet meeting and expressed the opinion that the JIT’s current staff of approximately 30 should be expanded.

It is reported that the police recently issued a call for recruitment to dispatch additional officers to the joint investigation team. The positions are open to one mid-level manager at the superintendent rank and working-level staff at the inspector rank or below.