Prosecutors Conduct Search and Seizure at Blue House Balanced Development Secretary's Office Over 'Election Interference Suspicion'

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The prosecution investigating allegations of the Blue House's interference in the Ulsan mayoral election is conducting a search and seizure at the Blue House's Office of Balanced Development Secretary on the 10th.

The Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Tae-eun) sent prosecutors and investigators to Yeomin-gwan at the Blue House this morning to secure materials produced by the Balanced Development Secretary related to the public hospital and other pledges of Song Cheol-ho (71), the current mayor of Ulsan. The prosecution suspects that Jang Hwan-seok, then Senior Administrative Officer of the Blue House's Office of Balanced Development Secretary, helped design Mayor Song's election pledges.

The prosecution also conducted a search and seizure at the National Balanced Development Committee office located in the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the day before. This was to verify the process of establishing Mayor Song Cheol-ho's election pledges. Through this search and seizure, the prosecution secured related materials including records of advisory group activities during the June 13, 2018 local elections.

Mayor Song was appointed as an advisor to the Balanced Development Committee in December 2017 while preparing for the Ulsan mayoral election. The prosecution believes there is a possibility that Mayor Song received help in establishing and implementing pledges from the advisory group, which included ruling party figures, and is reportedly searching for clues related to this.

The prosecution had previously conducted two search and seizures at Ulsan City Hall on December 6 last year and on the 4th of this month.

Despite the large-scale reshuffle of senior prosecution officials on the 8th, the prosecution is tightening its investigation targeting the current administration. Although the leadership in charge of the related investigation was largely replaced, it is analyzed that Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl's determination to continue the existing investigation without disruption is reflected in this.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.