The National Election Commission (NEC) addressed allegations regarding the shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections.
On June 11, Wi Cheol-hwan, who has been acting as the NEC chair since the resignation of former chair Noh Tae-ak on June 8, issued a public statement detailing the causes of the ballot shortage and the decision to lower the printing standards for ballots.
Wi expressed deep regret over the situation, stating, "I sincerely apologize for the shortage of ballots that infringed upon the public's voting rights," and attributed the issue to a failure to accurately predict voter demand by region, which led to an unsuccessful distribution of ballots across polling stations.
He explained, "The printing rate for ballots was set at 50%, excluding early voting, which means the overall printing rate was 73.3%. In Songpa District, there are 565,368 registered voters, and the total voter turnout was 65.8%, resulting in over 42,000 ballots remaining in the district."
However, he acknowledged, "The failure to distribute ballots effectively among the 146 polling stations in Songpa was a painful mistake."
Regarding the decision to set the minimum printing rate at 50%, Wi noted, "Originally, the minimum printing rate for ballots, excluding early voting, was 60%. However, following the last election, there was an increase in leftover ballots, leading to difficulties in inspection and storage of millions of ballots, along with concerns about loss, theft, and misappropriation."
He added, "We faced accusations of election fraud due to excessive printing of ballots compared to the turnout on election day, and there was a need to lower the minimum rate in areas where early voting increased and main voting decreased, along with challenges in securing printing facilities within a short timeframe."
As a result, the NEC commissioned a policy research project to the Korea Institute of Public Administration in 2022, and based on the findings from a task force composed of field staff, adjusted the comprehensive management guidelines for the 9th nationwide local elections to set the minimum printing rate for ballots at 50%.
The NEC also allowed local election commissions in 255 districts and cities to determine the printing rates based on local circumstances and characteristics.
It was revealed that some local commissions actually set the printing rate at 50%, with the Ongjin County Election Commission deciding on a 100% rate.
For the local elections, the 17 provincial and metropolitan election commissions printed three types of ballots (for governor, proportional representation councilors, and education superintendents), while local district and city commissions printed four types (for district councilors, local councilors, proportional representation councilors, and heads of autonomous districts) under their responsibility.
Currently, the NEC has established a 'Fact-Finding Committee' composed of external members to thoroughly investigate the circumstances and any potential wrongdoing.
In this context, Wi stated, "As investigations by law enforcement and the National Assembly's inquiry continue, clearer truths will emerge. However, as public suspicions and concerns grow, we felt it necessary to proactively report the current situation and measures taken."
He also emphasized, "We deeply recognize that not a single person's voting rights should be infringed upon," and promised thorough follow-up measures to prevent recurrence.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are accelerating their investigations related to this incident. Just eight days after the ballot shortage occurred, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's special investigation unit, under the direction of prosecutors from a joint investigation team, began searches at seven locations, including the NEC headquarters in Gwacheon, the Seoul Election Commission, and the election commissions of Songpa, Seocho, Gangnam, Gwangjin, and Dongjak districts, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act and dereliction of duty.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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