Joint Investigation Team raids the National Election Commission [Yonhap News File Photo]

It was learned on the 24th that employees of the National Election Commission (NEC) currently under investigation for "tampering with voting statistics" have defended their actions by suggesting that "as long as the final voter turnout is correct, it shouldn't be an issue."

With evidence of tampering also emerging in the Chungcheong region, beyond the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas targeted in yesterday's raids, there are expectations that the investigation could expand nationwide.

According to legal sources, the Joint Investigation Team for Truth Finding on Infringement of People's Suffrage (headed by Kim Tae-hoon, the third deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office) secured these statements from working-level officials at the NEC and the Gyeonggi Provincial Election Commission during the raids the previous day.

The joint investigation team is looking into allegations that working-level staff responsible for managing local polling stations during the June 3 local elections arbitrarily modified statistics in the election management system to cover up errors in inputting voter counts.

The findings suggest that instead of following the required procedures—reporting input errors to superiors and obtaining approval for corrections—staff members manipulated the statistics by arbitrarily entering false figures.

In response, the joint investigation team raided the NEC headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, as well as the Election Commissions in Songpa-gu, Gangnam-gu, and Seocho-gu yesterday to secure relevant evidence.

Working-level officials from the NEC and the Gyeonggi Provincial Election Commission who carried out the statistical manipulation were also subject to searches on charges including the falsification of official electronic records and obstruction of public duty.

While acknowledging the false entries during the searches, the NEC staff argued that "the final voter turnout is what matters."

Their stance is that since the final figures were balanced by correcting previously miscounted voter numbers through "additional statistical adjustments," there is no wrongdoing.

However, investigators believe this justification holds little weight, noting that the NEC publishes voter turnout by time of day on election day, and voters often decide whether to cast their ballots based on this information.

Joint Investigation Team raids NEC over 'statistical manipulation following turnout errors' [Yonhap News File Photo]

It is reported that the joint investigation team has identified signs of suspected voting statistic tampering in two additional regions beyond those targeted in yesterday's raids.

These regions have been identified as other electoral districts in Chungcheong Province and Gyeonggi Province. However, the election officials responsible for these areas were not included in yesterday's search warrants.

The joint investigation team is conducting the inquiry with the possibility that the falsification of voter counts and statistical manipulation may have occurred in other regions as well.

There is speculation that if additional evidence is secured through the raids, the scope of the investigation could expand nationwide.

The joint investigation team is continuing its search of the NEC servers today, following yesterday’s efforts.

Regarding the shortage of ballot papers, the director of the Dongjak-gu Election Commission is also scheduled to be summoned for questioning as a suspect today.

Furthermore, witness interviews are scheduled for three NEC officials regarding allegations of overseas "junket" trips involving former NEC Chairperson Noh Tae-ak.