Han Byeong-do, the leader of the Democratic Party, announced on June 9 that he plans to convene an immediate session of the National Assembly to swiftly conduct a national investigation into the ballot shortage that occurred during the June 3 local elections. He also responded to the People Power Party's call to include President Lee Jae-myung and the Blue House in the investigation, urging them to refrain from politicizing the issue.
During a meeting of the Democratic Party's leadership on the morning of June 9, Han stated, "The Democratic Party submitted a request for a national investigation into the ballot shortage on June 8. This incident has severely undermined both democracy and voting rights in South Korea."
He added, "The National Election Commission has completely failed in its constitutional duty of managing and executing the elections due to this incident. It cannot be dismissed as a mere administrative error or mistake." He emphasized that President Lee has already directed the establishment of a joint investigation team and reiterated the need for an immediate session of the National Assembly for a thorough investigation.
Han stressed, "In such a critical situation where voting rights are being violated, the responsibility of a political party is to ensure a thorough investigation." He admonished the People Power Party for attempting to politicize the issue, stating, "The People Power Party is turning this incident into a political conflict, causing confusion and division among the public. They are trying to include President Lee and the Blue House in the investigation while sidelining the need for truth. They should stop their provocative politics and agree to a national investigation to resolve the issue."
Additionally, he promised a swift formation of the new leadership in the 22nd National Assembly. "When has the public ever asked us to avoid work for dozens of days under the pretext of negotiations? The National Assembly has no time to waste on fruitless political disputes or idle power struggles," he said. He urged the People Power Party to immediately start the formation of the new leadership once a new floor leader is elected on June 10, stating, "We will promptly complete the formation and fully activate the National Assembly's standing committees to address legislative matters concerning the people's livelihoods."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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