Na Kyung-won Calls for By-Election if Elected Seoul Mayor

Na Kyung-won, a member of the People Power Party, stated on June 12 that if she were the elected mayor of Seoul, she would immediately declare a by-election at Jamsil Olympic Park in response to the shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections.

During a press conference at the National Assembly with fellow lawmakers Park Chung-kwon, Cho Seung-hwan, and Choi Soo-jin, Na emphasized that problematic electoral districts in the June 3 elections must undergo by-elections.

She remarked, "Just because the number of voters who could not cast their ballots is not enough to change the election outcome, it does not mean that the constitutional illegality of blocking the voting rights of citizens is overlooked. The validity of an election lies not in the margin of votes but in the constitutional legitimacy of the process."

Na criticized the current Public Official Election Act, which recognizes election invalidation only when violations are deemed to have affected the election outcome. She called it a "harsh contradiction" that the Election Commission, responsible for the errors, places the burden of proof on voters who were unable to vote.

She urged the Election Commission to conduct partial by-elections on its own authority without waiting for a court ruling. Na introduced a bill the previous day aimed at allowing the invalidation of elections in full or in part when voters' rights are infringed due to the Election Commission's fault, regardless of the election results.

Furthermore, she argued that the Election Commission requires a level of reform akin to disbandment. She stated, "It is an organization that can no longer be repaired. We must dismantle the Election Commission and completely rebuild it into a fair and trustworthy electoral governance system that the public can rely on." She also suggested that the minimal management functions granted by the constitution should remain, while delegating the execution of elections, which involve substantial budgets and manpower, to other agencies.