What did the special counsel find about voter turnout data in South Korea’s June 3 local elections?

The team said 30 local election commissions falsely entered turnout figures while voting was taking place. It said the final turnout totals were entered correctly, but the temporary alterations were discovered after reviewing records and questioning more than 70 election workers.

Where did Lee Tae-han’s special counsel team search for evidence in the election investigation?

Investigators went to the National Election Commission in Gwacheon and six local offices nationwide, including Busan’s Nam Ward. In a separate search, the team also visited the Busan local election commission and nine other locations tied to alleged preferential storage contracts.

What contract allegations are being examined alongside the voter turnout investigation?

The team found signs that local election commissions in Busan, South Gyeongsang and North Gyeongsang provinces gave certain companies exclusive election-supply storage deals. The alleged preferential arrangements have reportedly been in place since 2022.

Special counsel says 30 local election commissions falsely entered voter turnout data

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Summary

Thirty local election commissions falsely entered voter turnout data during the June 3 local elections, special counsel Lee Tae-han’s team said Thursday. The final turnout figures were entered correctly, but investigators allege the commissions altered figures while voting was underway. Investigators searched the National Election Commission and local offices for evidence. The team also examined alleged preferential treatment in exclusive election-supply storage contracts.

Key Facts

The special counsel team reviewed turnout records and questioned more than 70 election workers during its investigation.
Investigators searched the National Election Commission in Gwacheon and six local offices, including the commission in Busan’s Nam Ward.
The team separately searched the Busan local election commission and nine other locations over allegations involving election-supply storage contracts.
Local election commissions in Busan, South Gyeongsang Province and North Gyeongsang Province allegedly signed exclusive storage deals with certain companies since 2022.
Lee Tae-han’s team was launched last month to investigate ballot shortages, voter-data manipulation and other alleged misconduct by the National Election Commission.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 15, 2026 2:08 pm KST
Updated Oct 15, 2026 4:52 pm KST

Professor Lee Sang-jin of Korea University, left, an adviser to a special counsel team investigating allegations surrounding the National Election Commission, and other officials arrive at the election watchdog's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

A special counsel team said Thursday that 30 local election commissions falsely entered voter turnout data during the June 3 local elections.

Special counsel Lee Tae-han's team said its investigation has found false alterations to voter turnout figures by the local commissions after reviewing turnout records and questioning over 70 election workers.

While the final voter turnout figures for the elections were entered correctly, the commissions are accused of altering figures as voting took place.

The team sent investigators to the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, as well as six local offices across the country, including in Busan's Nam Ward, to seize evidence related to the allegations.

Separately, the special counsel team also searched the local election commission in Busan and nine other locations to secure evidence linked to allegations of preferential treatment in contracts for election supply storage.

The team has uncovered signs the local election commissions in Busan as well as South Gyeongsang and North Gyeongsang provinces have signed exclusive storage deals with certain companies since 2022, amounting to preferential treatment.

Lee's team was launched last month to investigate ballot shortages reported across the country during the June elections in addition to allegations of election data manipulation and other misconduct by the election watchdog.

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