"Camera Found at 37 Polling Stations... Possibility of Miniature Illegal Filming Remains"

"Overseas Polling Stations Show No Cameras Detected"
"We Will Strictly Secure Voting and Counting Stations"

Regarding the incident of illegal cameras installed at polling stations for the April 10 general election, Jo Dong-jin, spokesperson for the Central Election Commission, stated on the 1st, "The total number of cameras identified and removed during the full inspection was 37," adding, "One camera was installed per polling station."

In an interview on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' Spokesperson Jo said, "According to video confirmation, the cameras were installed not inside the polling stations but facing the entrances outside the polling stations," and added, "It appears to have been intended to monitor the number of people entering the early voting stations, as the suspect revealed during the investigation."

On the morning of the 30th, officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission were working on mailing election notices and voting guides to the local area at the Seongbuk-gu Election Commission Office in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Central Election Commission considers that if illegal filming cameras had recorded inside the polling stations, specifically the voting booths, it would be a more serious issue due to the potential violation of the secret ballot principle. Spokesperson Jo said, "We will have to see the situation, but the principle is to invalidate the vote if voting is made public," and added, "We will continue to conduct thorough checks to prevent such incidents from occurring." He further stated, "Even if the cameras were installed outside the polling stations, we recognize seriously that there is a risk of voters' voting intention being suppressed and election freedom being infringed," and said, "We will strictly secure the voting and counting stations going forward."

The overseas voting, which began on the 27th of last month, will close today. Spokesperson Jo reported, "Following the issue of illegal camera installations, emergency inspections were also conducted in overseas locations, but fortunately, no cases of cameras have been found abroad yet."

According to Spokesperson Jo, inspections of polling stations had mainly focused on fire and electrical facility safety checks. He explained, "Since illegal cameras were discovered this time, we plan to strengthen additional security inspections, including camera installations." However, the possibility of illegal filming using miniature cameras disguised as pens or other inconspicuous forms still remains. Spokesperson Jo said, "Theoretically, it is possible," and added, "Although it is practically difficult to search everywhere, we will mobilize as many personnel as possible within our capacity to conduct thorough checks."

The day before, the police arrested and detained a man in his 40s, YouTuber A, who secretly entered polling stations nationwide for the April 10 general election and installed illegal cameras. He is suspected of secretly entering more than 40 early voting stations across Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Gyeongnam, Daegu, Gyeonggi, and other regions from early this month until recently to install illegal cameras.