The state election watchdog filed complaints with the police against eleven people who were hired by the agency through irregularities as children of high-ranking officials.

In a press release on Friday, the National Election Commission(NEC) said the eleven people include ten employees found during the state audit agency's inspection and one other employee suspected of receiving preferential treatment in employment.

The NEC said the eleven people are expected to face charges of power abuse and obstruction of execution of official duty through hierarchy.

The watchdog also intends to probe whether the irregularities would constitute grounds for revocation of their appointment in light of public backlash.

On Thursday, NEC Secretary General Kim Yong-bin told a parliamentary committee that the watchdog will not tolerate the employees, who have since been suspended.

Kim, however, said the NEC is restricted from revoking their appointment as a related article in the State Public Officials Act is applied to employment after its enforcement in December 2021.

Of the ten listed by the Board of Audit and Inspection(BAI), nine were hired prior to the enforcement, while one was hired thereafter.