A special prosecutor's team investigating allegations related to the Election Commission has appointed four experts in digital forensics and information security as advisory members. This decision follows recent searches of the Central Election Commission and local election offices, where internal server data was secured, to ensure expert technical advice in handling digital evidence.
On September 23, the special prosecutor's team, led by Lee Tae-han, announced the appointment of the four 'digital forensics expert advisors' the previous day. The advisors include Lee Sang-jin, a professor at Korea University’s Graduate School of Information Security; Won Yu-jip, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology; Kim Gi-beom, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University’s Department of Forensic Science; and Lee Byeong-young, a professor at Seoul National University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The special prosecutor's team stated that these experts have extensive research and practical experience in digital forensics and information security, aiming to enhance the fairness, objectivity, and reliability of the investigation through their guidance. The team conducted its first forced investigation on September 17, executing searches at ten locations, including the Central Election Commission and regional offices in Gyeonggi, Incheon, Daegu, and Busan, securing internal server data.
The investigation focuses on twelve allegations surrounding the Election Commission, including the shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections, false input of voter numbers, overseas business trips, irregular hiring practices, and preferential treatment in contracts.
Meanwhile, the Board of Audit has prioritized sending six cases to the special prosecutor's team that require swift investigation due to issues such as bid interference, improper contracts, and unjust inspections related to election budget execution. The Board noted that it provided these materials before finalizing its audit results, citing the special prosecutor's investigation period is limited to a maximum of 150 days. However, it clarified that the specific criminal allegations have not yet been confirmed, and further details were not disclosed.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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