Special Counsel Lee Tae-han to Publicly Verify Ballots at Olympic Park This Month

The special counsel team investigating the 6·3 local elections voting-paper shortage plans to publicly inspect actual ballots this month at the Jamsil Olympic Park counting center, yna.co.kr reported on October 11, 2026. Investigators are coordinating with police and election officials to schedule the evidentiary check for October 29.

Olympic Park Ballots Open to Public Inspection

The special counsel team decided to examine individual ballots publicly at the Olympic Park venue following intense public interest and controversy. The Seoul Songpa-gu Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium served as a local election counting center where angry voters protested a shortage of voting papers during the June 3 elections. Demonstrators initially gathered at the Jamsil 7-dong No. 2 polling station before following police as ballot boxes were moved to the gymnasium, where protests continued for an extended period.

While initial reports referred to the procedure as a recount, the special counsel team clarified that a recount involves checking ballots again due to election result disputes, whereas this proceeding is an evidentiary verification of the physical papers. The inspection date of October 29 remains tentative and could change during ongoing consultations with cooperating agencies, requiring police assistance to secure the venue.

Political Controversy Over Alleged Report Leaks

The investigation drew political scrutiny after President Lee Jae-myung posted an image of a confidential daily comprehensive situation report on X (formerly Twitter) on September 29. The document partially revealed a phrase referencing the special counsel’s planned ballot inspection at the Olympic Park venue. The People Power Party criticized the disclosure, arguing it showed the independent team sharing investigation details with the president.

The presidential office rejected the criticism, explaining that the mention stemmed from a National Police Agency security report indicating the ballot check had been delayed to ease friction with protesters. The special counsel team similarly pushed back against the allegations. Oec beop-gwa wonsik-e ttara dokrib-jeok-uro susa-hago itgo, ap-eurodo eotteon jeongchijeok goryeo eopsi dokrib-jeok-uro susa-e imhal geot, the team stated, maintaining that it investigates independently based strictly on law and principle without political considerations.

Special Counsel Scope and Ongoing Evidence Gathering

The investigation originated from a joint police-prosecution headquarters before shifting to an independent special counsel following public demands over civil rights infringements. Launched on September 7 under Special Counsel Lee Tae-han, the team has a maximum of 150 days to probe voting paper shortages, rushed vote counts, ballot statistics manipulation, overseas trips by election commission officials, preferential hiring, and suspect private contracts with affiliated companies.

Investigators took over previous case records, raided the National Election Commission on September 17 to seize evidence, and summoned commission officials as reference witnesses. Forensic investigators have also been stationed at the central election body to verify digital data directly.