Photo : YONHAP News
Rho Tae-ak, the former head of the National Election Commission(NEC), has been barred from leaving the country amid a probe into ballot shortages during the June 3 local elections.
The Ministry of Justice issued the ban for Rho and several other election commission officials on Friday at the request of the joint team of prosecutors and police investigating the case.
They are facing charges of breach of duty and violation of the Public Official Election Act.
The investigators also conducted searches at the NEC headquarters, the Seoul regional election commission, and five commissions each overseeing Seoul’s Songpa, Seocho, Gangnam, Gwangjin and Dongjak districts.
The joint team said it intends to thoroughly analyze seized evidence and swiftly question those involved to sternly determine the facts in the case.
According to the NEC, 91 voting centers nationwide ran out of ballots during the elections and had to use additional ones sent by the watchdog, temporarily stopping voting at 26 locations.