(LEAD) Special counsel searches Seoul handball arena in ballot shortage probe

A special counsel team conducted a search and seizure at a Seoul handball arena on Tuesday, as part of an investigation into a significant shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections. The Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium, located in southeastern Seoul, had previously served as a vote counting center for the elections. Special counsel Lee Tae-han authorized the search, intending to collect election records and surveillance footage from the venue.

This marks the first search and seizure the special counsel team has carried out since launching the investigation last month.

The probe follows multiple reports of ballot shortages at various polling stations during the local elections, leaving some voters stranded and unable to cast their votes. This situation sparked widespread public outrage. The special counsel team plans to review the collected materials to examine the circumstances surrounding the ballot shortage and allegations of inadequate election management by the National Election Commission.

The search took place the day before the special counsel team's scheduled inspection of stored voter ballots at the gymnasium. The venue currently houses 2.47 million ballot papers cast in Seoul's southeastern region.