On June 3, an unprecedented ballot shortage occurred at several polling stations in Seoul during the local elections, sparking controversy. The National Election Commission (NEC) issued a public apology, while the People Power Party (PPP) demanded a halt to vote counting and called for the elections to be postponed.
Heo Cheol-hoon, the NEC Secretary-General, held an emergency briefing and stated, "We deeply apologize for undermining public trust in fair election management. We will identify the causes and issues immediately after the vote counting ends and implement measures to prevent recurrence."
According to the NEC, as of 6:20 PM, 14 polling stations in Seoul experienced ballot shortages, leading to delays and interruptions in voting. The affected areas included Garak 2-dong, Jamsil 2-dong, Jamsil 4-dong, Jamsil 7-dong, Munjeong 2-dong in Songpa-gu, Cheongdam-dong in Gangnam-gu, and Guui 3-dong in Gwangjin-gu.
The PPP criticized the situation and demanded a halt to vote counting and a re-election. Jang Dong-hyuk, the party's representative, held a briefing at the party's headquarters in Yeouido and declared, "This election in Seoul is tainted. A contaminated election is invalid. We must immediately stop the counting until a thorough investigation is conducted."
He also warned of potential legal action against the NEC, stating, "We waited for the NEC's announcement scheduled for 9 PM, but there was no satisfactory explanation. The NEC must provide a clear explanation that the public can accept and take legal responsibility for this situation."
When asked if the party would file for an injunction to halt the counting if the NEC proceeded, he replied, "If we file now and the NEC continues counting, there may be no benefit to the request. Therefore, the NEC should voluntarily stop the counting first."
Song Eon-seok, the party's floor leader, also called for a delay in the elections. He stated at a press conference, "We formally request a postponement of the elections under Article 196 of the Public Election Act, emphasizing that the elections in Seoul cannot proceed as planned."
He expressed concerns about the management of ballots during the urgent transfer from other locations, stating, "There are significant doubts about whether proper ballot management was conducted during the hurried transfer. With voting continuing after 6 PM, the possibility that exit poll results could influence the voting cannot be ruled out."
He hinted at the possibility of a re-election, referencing a case from last year in which Germany's Federal Constitutional Court declared a local election in Berlin invalid due to systemic mismanagement by election authorities, ordering a re-vote.
The party leadership is also taking a proactive stance. Shin Dong-wook, head of the Fair Election and Secure Voting Committee, visited the NEC office in Gwacheon to express their serious concerns. Jeong Hee-yong, the party's Secretary-General, stated, "We cannot overlook this situation," criticizing the earlier controversy over ballot transparency and the current shortage. Bae Hyun-jin, chair of the Seoul party chapter, held a press conference at the National Assembly, asserting, "This is not just a simple mistake; it demonstrates a complete breakdown of the basic election management system and undermines the foundations of democracy."
Meanwhile, in areas like Songpa-gu, voters faced delays or interruptions in voting due to the ballot shortage. Lee Sang-neung, head of the NEC's Election Division, noted at a press conference that Songpa-gu had printed ballots for only 50% of its total voter population, explaining, "Given that there are 146 polling stations in Songpa-gu, some stations may have more voters than expected, leading to the ballot shortage."
As a result, voting at the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong was extended until 10 PM.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.