▲ This file photo, taken Aug. 14, 2026, shows the headquarters of the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

(ATTN: UPDATES with details in paras 3-7; CHANGES photo)

SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) -- A special counsel team on Thursday raided the national election watchdog and other local election commissions as part of its probe into shortages of ballots during the June 3 local elections.

It marked the first raid by special counsel Lee Tae-han's team after its launch on Sept. 7 to investigate the shortages that sparked major public outcry after some voters were forced to turn back without casting their votes.

Lee's team sent investigators to nine locations, including the National Election Commission (NEC) based in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, and the local election commissions of Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, Busan and Daegu.

Investigators seek to seize internal records in connection with the ballot shortages.

During the elections, the shortages led to voting disruptions at some polling stations in Gyeonggi that surrounds the capital, the western city of Incheon, and the southeastern cities of Busan and Daegu.

The special counsel team is tasked with investigating the election watchdog's management of ballot papers and suspected tampering of voter turnout data during the local elections and other allegations of misconduct.

The team plans to review the seized records before deciding whether to summon key officials who oversaw the elections, including former NEC Chairperson Rho Tae-ak, who resigned following the ballot shortages controversy.

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