Jung Seung-rae, the Secretary-General of the Democratic Party, dismissed calls from the People Power Party for a re-vote following a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections, stating, "There is no value in responding to that."
After a press conference with party leader Jeong Cheong-rae on June 4, Jung told reporters, "Someone must take responsibility for this, and I will hold them accountable," adding that the future of the Election Commission's Secretary-General should also be reconsidered.
He emphasized that the matter would not be swept under the rug just because the election is over, insisting on accountability from the Election Commission.
However, he drew a line regarding the People Power Party's claims of halting the vote count and demanding a re-vote. "There is no value in responding to the People Power Party's demands for a halt to the counting and a re-vote," he explained. "Many citizens in Seoul have already cast their votes, and the counting is proceeding normally."
He further criticized the People Power Party, saying, "They initially called for a halt to the counting and a re-vote, but now that the election results are favorable for them, I believe they will stop making those claims. I hope they refrain from such low-level politics that obscure the issue as the counting progresses in their favor."
Online, netizens reacted to Jung's comments with a variety of opinions. Some expressed that if there are citizens who could not exercise their voting rights, a re-examination is necessary regardless of the results. Others questioned the inconsistency of holding the Election Commission accountable while dismissing discussions of a re-vote, stating, "Isn't this a serious violation of voting rights?" and "Even if the election results do not change, principles must be upheld."
On the day of the local elections, a significant incident occurred in areas like Songpa District in Seoul, where a shortage of ballots led to a temporary halt in voting. In response, the People Power Party strongly opposed the situation, demanding a nationwide halt to the counting and a re-vote.
Jang Dong-hyuk, the leader of the People Power Party, stated during a protest visit to the Election Commission, "Voting continued after the deadline due to a shortage of ballots in Seoul. Since the election itself is invalid, a re-vote must be conducted."
However, in the Seoul mayoral election, Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party overcame Jung Won-oh of the Democratic Party in the final stages of the counting, securing victory and setting a record as the first mayor of Seoul to be elected for a fifth term.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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