Lee Tae-han, a non-standing member of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission who has been appointed as the Special Prosecutor for the National Election Commission (NEC) to investigate issues such as the shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections, answers questions from reporters at Dongin Law Firm in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 18th. [Yonhap News]

Special Prosecutor Lee Tae-han (60, Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 23), appointed to investigate the National Election Commission (NEC) regarding issues such as the shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections, emphasized, "The role of the special prosecutor is not to amplify suspicions, but to resolve them."

Meeting with reporters in front of his office at Dongin Law Firm in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 18th, Special Prosecutor Lee stated, "The most important duty of the special prosecutor is to uncover the substantive truth based on facts and evidence, without political considerations or preconceptions."

He remarked, "I feel a heavy sense of responsibility," adding, "While the independence of the National Election Commission must be guaranteed for the fairness and neutrality of elections, such independence does not mean the absence of checks and oversight."

Special Prosecutor Lee said, "I believe it is necessary to examine whether external checks and oversight have failed to function adequately in the name of respecting the independence of the NEC, and whether such structural issues have influenced the emergence and escalation of problems, including the recent ballot shortage and hiring irregularities."

He continued, "I will thoroughly investigate why the ballot shortage occurred, whether it could have been sufficiently prevented in advance, and what decision-making and management processes were involved," emphasizing, "If illegal acts took place, I will clearly identify the parties responsible; conversely, I will also clearly clarify any groundless suspicions or unfounded claims."

Special Prosecutor Lee stated, "The special prosecution team that I will assemble will not be biased toward anyone. We will not conduct the investigation with a predetermined conclusion that would be politically favorable or unfavorable to the ruling party, the opposition party, or the NEC," adding, "We will investigate solely based on the law, principles, objective evidence, and facts."

He further added, "We should not stop at simply uncovering past wrongdoings," and "I will closely examine the structural and systemic issues within the election management process to provide objective and substantive foundations that can help improve our nation's election management system, ensuring that the citizens' right to vote is never infringed upon again."

Under the Special Prosecutor Act for the NEC, Lee will undergo a 20-day preparation period followed by an investigation into NEC-related allegations for a maximum of 150 days.

The investigative team can consist of up to 165 members, including five assistant special prosecutors and 20 dispatched prosecutors.

The main subjects of the investigation include a total of 12 allegations, such as the local election ballot shortage, manipulation of voting statistics, overseas junkets by NEC officials, preferential treatment in hiring and promotions, and collusion with vendors through private contracts.

Special Prosecutor Lee plans to immediately begin preparatory work, including selecting assistant special prosecutors, forming the investigation team, and securing office space.