Voting Chaos in Songpa as Ballots Run Out

On June 3, the day of the 9th nationwide local elections, voters in the Jamsil area of Songpa District faced significant delays as ballots ran out at several polling places, leaving hundreds waiting in line.

According to a report by Yonhap News, starting at 1 p.m., at least four polling places, including the 6th polling station in Jamsil 2-dong and the 3rd polling station in Garak 2-dong, experienced ballot shortages, leading to long wait times for voters.

By 4:30 p.m., it was reported that voting had effectively ceased at these locations. Election officials on-site informed voters that they were awaiting instructions from the election commission, but some voters chose to leave due to the uncertainty.

Concerns about not being able to exercise their voting rights prompted protests from citizens. One voter questioned an election official, asking, "How will you distinguish between those who arrive after 6 p.m. and those who have been waiting?"

In response, the National Election Commission issued a statement explaining that the voter turnout for this local election was higher than in previous elections, resulting in a shortage of ballots at some polling places in Songpa. They confirmed that ballots were being transported to these locations.

The commission reassured voters that those waiting in line would still be able to cast their votes even after the official closing time, urging them not to misunderstand that voting would be impossible due to the ballot shortage.