What did the deceased NEC official’s note say about the special counsel investigators?

The investigation team said the note did not mention coercion and that the official wrote he held no grudge against the special counsel. It said he instead pointed to organizational problems at the NEC, while reportedly expressing grievances about the questioning.

What did the NEC official’s lawyer allege about the questioning?

The lawyer, who was present during the questioning, alleged that investigators pressured and coerced the official. The lawyer also claimed there were procedural shortcomings in drawing up the interrogation records.

Special counsel says deceased NEC official's note cites no coercion

Q: What allegations is the special counsel investigation into the NEC examining?

The investigation is examining multiple allegations of misconduct involving the NEC, including ballot shortages and suspected manipulation of voter-turnout data during the June local elections. The special counsel team was launched on Sept. 7.

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Summary

A special counsel team said Friday that a deceased National Election Commission official’s note did not mention coercion by investigators after questioning in Hwaseong on Wednesday. The official reportedly expressed grievances about the questioning but wrote that he held no grudge against the special counsel, the team said. His lawyer had alleged pressure, coercion and procedural shortcomings during the questioning. The investigation, launched Sept. 7, is examining alleged misconduct involving the NEC, including ballot shortages and suspected voter-turnout data manipulation.

Key Facts

The official, who was in his 40s, was found dead outside his apartment in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, on Wednesday morning.
Special counsel Lee Tae-han leads the investigation team, which said it reviewed the note through proper procedures.
The official’s lawyer was present during the questioning and had alleged that investigators pressured and coerced him and that there were procedural shortcomings in preparing the interrogation records.
The special counsel team was launched on Sept. 7 to investigate multiple allegations involving the NEC, including ballot shortages and suspected manipulation of voter-turnout data during the June local elections.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 23, 2026 12:55 pm KST

The National Election Commission in Gwacheon / Yonhap

A National Election Commission (NEC) official, who was found dead a day after undergoing questioning by a special counsel, did not mention any coercive interrogation by special counsel investigators in a note he left behind, the investigation team claimed Friday.

The NEC official, in his 40s, was found dead outside his apartment in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, on Wednesday morning. He left a suicide note, in which he reportedly expressed grievances over the questioning he faced the previous day.

The NEC official's lawyer, who was present during the questioning, earlier claimed that investigators had pressured and coerced the deceased and that there had been procedural shortcomings in drawing up his interrogation records.

The investigation team, led by special counsel Lee Tae-han, said it has checked the content of the deceased's suicide note through proper procedures, and confirmed that it did not mention any coercion.

The deceased rather mentioned that he did not hold a grudge against the special counsel, while only pointing out organizational problems at the NEC, the team added.

The special counsel team was launched on Sept. 7 to look into multiple allegations of misconduct involving the NEC, including ballot shortages and suspected manipulation of voter turnout data during the local elections in June.

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