Special Counsel Raids Ballot-Counting Machine Suppliers Over Suspected Price-Fixing
[Domestic] : A special counsel team investigating ballot shortages and other irregularities during the June 3 local elections has launched a search for evidence of suspected price fixing by two companies that supplied ballot-counting machines to the National Election Commission(NEC). Special counsel Lee Tae-han’s ... [more...]
A special counsel team led by Lee Tae-han searched the offices and residences of two companies that supply ballot-counting machines to the National Election Commission (NEC) on Monday. The search and seizure is part of an investigation into suspected price-fixing and collusion to win contracts from the election watchdog, which may violate fair trade law.
According to The Korea Times, the team detected signs of collusion after determining the NEC spent approximately 17.5 billion won ($13 million) over about a decade by repeatedly renting machines from the two firms. This follows a raid on the NEC conducted last month to secure evidence.
The special counsel team was established in September to investigate the unprecedented shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections, alongside other allegations of mismanagement and misconduct involving the NEC. KBS World Radio also noted the investigation involves suspected price-fixing by the two suppliers during the probe into ballot shortages and other irregularities.
Brief written by urgent.news from KBS World Radio, The Korea Times — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
