Two former government officials, including a former employee of the national election watchdog, were indicted Thursday on charges of spreading false information that the 2012 presidential election was rigged, prosecutors said.

In a publication, the suspects allegedly claimed that the National Election Commission had systemically rigged the presidential election by deliberately concealing a malfunction in the electronic ballot machines and that as a result a “fake president” was elected, prosecutors said.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office probing the case alleged that the two, including former NEC employee Han Young-soo, defamed other NEC employees by spreading such fabricated facts. (Yonhap)