Police arrest two suspects in election spy camera plot linked to YouTuber

Two people accused of installing spy cameras at six early voting sites to assist a YouTuber were arrested and transferred to prosecutors, police said Tuesday.

A image of Yangsan Police Station located in South Gyeongsang. [YANGSAN POLICE STATION]

Two people accused of installing spy cameras at six early voting sites to assist a YouTuber were arrested and transferred to prosecutors, police said Tuesday.

According to the Yangsan Police Precinct, the two individuals were in their 70s and 50s and aided in installing spy cameras at voting sites, including those in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, ahead of the two-day early voting period last week for the April 10 general election.

The suspect in his 70s was also accused of colluding with a YouTuber who was apprehended last month for placing hidden cameras at approximately 40 early voting sites, including in Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Ulsan, Daegu and Gyeonggi.

This suspect met with the YouTuber and discussed the installation and retrieval of spy cameras on March 10 in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, according to police.

The suspect in his 70s allegedly concealed cameras in four early voting sites in Yangsan with the YouTuber and planned to retrieve the hidden cameras after the general election on Wednesday.

The suspect in her 40s was sent to the prosecutors' office on criminal charges for conspiring with the YouTuber, although she had no specific role assigned.

According to police, the two individuals were subscribers of the YouTuber and aided him in his activities as a watchdog for electoral fraud.

Last Friday, the YouTuber was transferred to prosecutors under detention after being accused of installing spy cameras at early voting sites nationwide.

During a police investigation, the YouTuber claimed that he installed the cameras to “monitor the National Election Commission (NEC) manipulating the early voting turnout.”

Early voting for the April 10 general election took place on April 5 and 6.

Following the transfer of the two individuals, the NEC also reported a different YouTuber to the Seoul Eunpyeong Police Precinct on Tuesday for posting Saturday morning surveillance camera footage showing several people putting ballot envelopes in early voting ballot boxes.

The YouTube clip sparked allegations that NEC staffers at Eunpyeong District’s election commission attempted to rig the April 10 general election on Sunday.

The commission stated that the accusation was “untrue” and that the employees were moving Eunpyeong District residents' early votes to their designated ballot box.

The NEC submitted the complaint against the YouTuber under charges of violating the Public Official Election Act and obstructing official duties by hierarchy.

The commission said that the clip made the NEC put in “unnecessary time and labor force” to explain and respond to such an accusation, hindering the staff’s duties related to their initial duty to manage the election.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]