Police will launch an investigation into the nepotism scandal related to hiring irregularities unfolding at the National Election Commission(NEC).

An anti-corruption unit of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police said on Wednesday that it will take over the case from the National Police Agency and investigate four related figures, including a former secretary general of the election watchdog, on charges of violating the State Public Officials Act.

An internal audit by the NEC earlier found circumstantial evidence possibly suggesting influence-peddling in the employment process of the children of four executives.

The watchdog requested a police probe into the four officials based on results, to which the National Police Agency assigned the case to the Gyeonggi Nambu branch as it has jurisdiction over the Gwacheon area in Gyeonggi Province where the NEC is located.

Since the initial allegations surfaced, several more cases of nepotism in hiring have been confirmed but will not be included in the police investigation.

Meanwhile, the NEC has rejected a probe into the allegations by the Board of Audit and Inspection, saying they are beyond the audit agency's scope of inspection duties.