South Korea’s parliament has initiated an investigation into the shortages of election ballots
South Korea’s parliament on Thursday initiated a 45-day investigation into the National Election Commission following ballot-paper shortages that disrupted voting during the local elections on June 3. The plan was approved during a plenary session.
The issues surrounding the ballot paper have sparked protests, led to the resignation of the NEC chief, and prompted President Lee Jae Myung to demand a comprehensive investigation.
The special parliamentary committee will investigate the NEC and regional election commissions regarding what lawmakers have characterized as violations of citizens’ voting rights and the necessity for reforms in election management.
The investigation panel consists of lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), and minor parties, with PPP lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun appointed as chair. “The fact-finding investigation is not the end, but the beginning,” stated National Assembly speaker Cho Jeong-sik. “The parliamentary investigation should pinpoint the causes and result in reforms for managing elections that the public can trust.”
On Wednesday, NEC acting secretary-general Kang Dong-wan informed protesting university student representatives that the commission felt “devastated” by its insufficient preparation and would collaborate with the parliamentary inquiry, a joint police-prosecution investigation, and its audit.
An NEC official stated on Wednesday that there were ballot shortages at 91 polling stations across the country, leading to a temporary suspension of voting at 26 locations during the local elections.
In Seoul’s Songpa district, a polling station paused voting at 4:46 p.m., resumed at 5:39 p.m., and ultimately closed at 10 p.m. to accommodate approximately 175 waiting ticket holders. However, 12 voters who had received waiting tickets did not return, according to the NEC official.
