NEC officials fail to declare relations after hiring of children: lawmaker

SEOUL, May 29 (Yonhap) -- All six National Election Commission (NEC) officials embroiled in suspicions of hiring favors for their children did not declare their relations with the hired children in violation of an ethics code, according to a ruling party lawmaker.

The NEC has come under hiring favor suspicions following revelations that children of senior officials joined the agency by applying for experienced positions. The NEC's secretary-general and his deputy resigned last week, though they claimed their children were hired in a fair and transparent manner.

Four other NEC officials were also found to have children working at the election watchdog.

According to Rep. Lee Man-hee of the ruling People Power Party, all six NEC officials failed to report their relations with the hired children, even though an NEC ethics code required them to do so when close relatives are related to their duties.

That code was later scrapped, as a similar clause was enacted in a broader ethics law.

Lee has also raised suspicions that some of the children won promotions thanks to the influence of their fathers.

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