NEC Special Prosecutor Searches Two Firms Over "Ballot-Counting Machine Rental Collusion"... 17.5 Billion Won Paid Over 10 Years
Signs of collusion between ballot-counting machine companies uncovered
Offices and operators' homes searched
Probe also examines whether election commission officials were involved
Lee Tae-han's special prosecutor team investigating the National Election Commission has launched a compulsory investigation after uncovering indications that companies colluded during the process of bidding for ballot-counting machine rental contracts.
Verification Site: Ballot Paper Inspection and Counting Machine
A ballot paper inspection and counting machine is set up at the Handball Gymnasium in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul, where the special counsel investigating the National Election Commission is holding a public verification of ballots from the June 3 local elections on the 28th. <2026.10.28 Photo by Joint Press Corps>
The special prosecutor team said it had been conducting searches and seizures since around 9 a.m. on November 9 at the offices of two ballot-counting machine companies and the homes of their operators, on suspicion of violating the Fair Trade Act, among other offenses. A total of 34 people were deployed for the searches, including three prosecutors and 10 digital forensics investigators.
The team uncovered indications of collusion while investigating how the National Election Commission spent more than 17.5 billion won over approximately 10 years, repeatedly renting ballot-counting machines from the two companies through sole-source contracts.
The team suspects that the two companies colluded in advance, improperly restricting competition in violation of the State Contracts Act. After securing documents in a search of the National Election Commission departments concerned on October 15, the team conducted additional searches and seizures at the companies on November 9.
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The team plans to analyze the seized materials to establish how the contracts were awarded and how the collusion took place, while also examining whether National Election Commission officials participated in the collusion. It will also continue investigating allegations of corruption across the commission's operations, including preferential treatment through sole-source contracts and improper ties between the commission and the companies.
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