The National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, is seen in a photo taken on July 29.YONHAP
A National Election Commission (NEC) official who had been questioned by the special counsel team was found dead on Wednesday.
The man, an official at the assistant director level in the NEC’s election infrastructure division, was found dead on the grounds of an apartment complex in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, at around 7:06 a.m., police said. Authorities believe the man fell from the building. A note reportedly contained complaints that he had been treated unfairly during the special counsel investigation.
The official appeared before the special counsel team on Tuesday morning as a suspect on allegations of bid obstruction and breach of trust in the course of his duties. He returned home at around 10:40 p.m. after questioning.
The special counsel team has been expanding its investigation into alleged bidding irregularities involving contracts for election supplies, including early-voting ballot boxes and polling-station notices used in last year’s presidential election and the June 3 local elections.
The probe comes after problems during the June 3 vote, when some polling stations ran out of paper ballots and some voters were unable to cast their ballots in time.
“We express our deepest condolences over the death,” the special counsel team said. “There were no coercive circumstances during the questioning process, and the suspect reviewed and revised the statement of his own accord.”
The NEC also expressed its condolences.
Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party hold the envelope containing a draft of the special counsel bill to investigate the National Election Commission’s handling of the June 3 local elections, including ballot paper shortages, on July 9.YONHAP
“We take this matter very seriously and hope the exact circumstances surrounding the death will be determined swiftly through the relevant authorities,” the NEC said on Wednesday. “We deeply regret that he suffered extreme psychological pressure from the prolonged investigation and lost his precious life. We ask the special counsel team to ensure that the human rights of NEC employees are not violated during the investigation going forward.”
The commission also paid tribute to the official.
“He was an employee who devoted himself to his duties with diligence and a strong sense of responsibility, setting an example for other public servants,” the NEC said. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues, who are in profound shock and grief over the unexpected news.”
Meanwhile, a protest demanding a revote of the local elections is still continuing at SK Olympic Handball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, a venue used as a ballot counting center for the latest local election.
If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
