Politics · South Korea · 11 hrs ago
South Korean Special Prosecutor Searches Two Ballot-Counting Machine Firms
South Korea’s special prosecutor searched two ballot-counting machine firms and the homes of their operators on November 9.
The probe is examining problems including a shortage of ballot papers during the June 3 local elections.
Investigators suspect the companies colluded on prices in contracts with the National Election Commission.
The commission repeatedly rented machines from the two firms through direct contracts over about 10 years, spending more than 17.5 billion won in total.
The prosecutor says the arrangement may have unlawfully restricted competition under fair-trade law.
Investigators had already searched a commission department on October 15 and are now collecting evidence in the case.
South Korea’s special prosecutor team searched two ballot-counting machine firms and the homes of their operators on November 9.
The team said it suspects the firms colluded on prices in contracts with the National Election Commission.
Investigators are examining about 10 years of repeated private contracts under which the commission rented machines from the two firms.
The contracts involved payments totaling about 17.5 billion won.
The probe is part of an investigation into issues including a shortage of ballot papers during the June 3 local elections.
- Who
- South Korea’s National Election Commission special prosecutor team searched two machine firms and the homes of their operators.
- What
- The team is investigating suspected price collusion in contracts to rent ballot-counting machines.
- When
- The searches began at 9 a.m. on November 9, 2026.
- Where
- The firms’ offices and the homes of their operators in South Korea. The article does not give specific locations.
- Why
- Investigators suspect repeated contracts between the firms and the commission involved collusion that unfairly restricted competition.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The special prosecutor team searched a department of the National Election Commission and obtained records related to suspected collusion by the machine firms.
The team began searches of the two firms’ offices and their operators’ homes.
- Firms searched
- Two ballot-counting machine companies
- Contract period
- About 10 years
- Total payments
- About 17.5 billion won
- Contract method
- Repeated private contracts to rent machines
- Investigation date
- November 9, 2026