South Korea election office raided in fake turnout figures probe: investigators

South Korean investigators on a prosecution-police task force enter the National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon on July 23, 2026, as they raid the election commission over indications officials falsified vote turnout figures in June local elections. (Yonhap/AFP)

• Dozens of polling stations experienced unprecedented ballot paper shortages on the June 3 nationwide vote

SEOUL: South Korean investigators raided the election commission on Thursday over indications officials falsified voter turnout figures in June local elections, a spokesman told AFP.
Dozens of polling stations experienced unprecedented ballot paper shortages on the June 3 nationwide vote, the first since President Lee Jae Myung took office last year.
The controversy sparked the resignation of National Election Commission (NEC) chief Roh Tae-ak and demonstrations demanding an election re-run.
NEC offices were on Thursday raided by a special team of police and prosecutors, a spokesman for the investigators told AFP.
“We have found indications that officials from the National Election Commission and the Gyeonggi Provincial Election Commission entered false voter turnout figures during the local elections, and are also conducting searches and seizures of those involved,” the spokesman said.