Board of Audit and Inspection Launches Audit of Election Commission's Election Budgets... Reviewing Ballot Paper Shortage and No-Bid Contract Suspicions

Ballot Paper Shortage During June 3 Local Election: 141 Stations Affected, 26 Voting Suspended
Audit Team of 42 to Review 12 Key Areas Including No-Bid Contracts, Special Incentives, and Overseas Travel Expenses
National Election Commission and

The Board of Audit and Inspection is launching an audit into the budgeting and execution of election-related expenditures by the National Election Commission and certain regional election commissions. The move comes in response to widespread public suspicion following the June 3 local elections, where a shortage of ballot papers led to the suspension of voting at some polling stations. The audit will review the commission's budget execution, contracts, allowance payments, overseas business trips, and other issues that have come under scrutiny.

On June 15, as the joint investigation task force of prosecutors and police (JIT) investigating the "ballot paper shortage incident" in the June 3 local elections completes the seizure of servers including those of the National Election Commission and prepares to begin a full-scale investigation, a view of the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. 2026.6.15 Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap

On July 6, the Board of Audit and Inspection announced that it would examine the execution of election-related budgets and major allegations involving the National Election Commission, as well as election commissions in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Busan, covering the period since 2022. The audit team, led by the Director-General of the Administrative and Safety Audit Bureau, will consist of 42 members. The first phase of the audit will last for 14 days, from July 6 to July 24, followed by a second 14-day phase in August. The Board of Audit and Inspection will determine whether to expand the scope of the audit, key focus areas, and personnel depending on the results of the first phase.

The ballot paper shortage incident during the June 3 local elections is the main reason for this audit. According to the Board of Audit and Inspection, 141 polling stations ran out of ballot papers, and voting was suspended at 26 of these locations. The subsequent investigation revealed inadequate initial response and problems with command and control systems, leading to a decline in public trust in the National Election Commission, according to the Board’s assessment.

The Board of Audit and Inspection also noted that critical media reports concerning the lowering of the minimum print standard for ballot papers, execution of printing budgets, full private contracts and favoritism toward certain suppliers, the payment of special incentive allowances, and official overseas trips have prompted calls for reform and external audit of the commission. This is the first audit of the commission’s accounting practices by the Board of Audit and Inspection since the regular audit of the National Election Commission in 2022.

Yonhap News Agency

The audit will focus on two major areas. First, in terms of election-related budget planning and execution, the audit will include the budgeting and execution of ballot paper printing expenses, printing contracts, payment of various allowances, operation of the Fair Election Support Group, execution of daily wages for temporary workers, procurement and management of election supplies, building leases, management and payment of expenses and allowances for overseas voters, and estimation and adjustment of overall personnel and election costs.

However, regarding the ballot paper printing issue, the Board of Audit and Inspection stated that it would carefully consider whether to initiate an audit, its scope, and timing, taking into account the ongoing investigation by the joint prosecutors and police task force and the National Assembly inquiry. This stance reflects concerns about possible overlapping investigations or interference with ongoing probes, as the ballot paper shortage itself is subject to both law enforcement and parliamentary investigation.

The audit will also cover public suspicions and whether previous recommendations issued by the Board of Audit and Inspection have been implemented. The audit will examine the process of awarding private contracts, calculation of contract prices, favoritism or splitting of contracts, preferential treatment, and possible special relationships between parties. Overseas business trips by officials, execution of travel expenses, business promotion expenses, and special meal allowances will also be reviewed. In addition, the audit will verify whether measures required by previous audit results have been properly carried out. This includes implementation of recommendations related to position-related expenses, contingency funds for by-elections, and settlement of local election expenses. The management of election cost reimbursement claims for invalidated candidates will also be subject to audit.

Through this audit, the Board of Audit and Inspection aims to address public concerns regarding the execution of the National Election Commission’s budget. Amid ongoing controversy over the fairness and independence of election management, the audit results are expected to spur discussions on strengthening internal controls and accounting transparency within the commission.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.