Prime Minister Kim Min-seok strongly criticized the Election Commission on June 11 for the destruction of ballot boxes related to a shortage of ballots, stating, "It seems the Election Commission still does not recognize the seriousness of the situation."
During a meeting at the Government Sejong Center focused on the infringement of citizens' voting rights, he added, "If the Election Commission continues this way, there will undoubtedly be calls from the public for its dissolution."
Kim noted that the unprecedented situation regarding citizens' voting rights during the June 3 local elections is worsening, with growing public concern. He mentioned that 17 universities across the country have issued a joint declaration, and there is increasing condemnation and demands for reform from various sectors.
He also reported that a request for a National Assembly investigation into the Election Commission has been submitted to the plenary session, urging both ruling and opposition parties to swiftly negotiate the formation of a special committee to ensure thorough fact-finding and discussions on institutional improvements, regardless of political affiliations.
Additionally, Kim pledged that the government would actively cooperate in all necessary areas and instructed law enforcement to conduct a prompt and rigorous investigation through a joint investigation headquarters.
He emphasized, "While infringement of voting rights is unacceptable, violations of democratic order must also not be tolerated," questioning, "Who has the right to block citizens' free movement, detain police officers, and insult passing citizens?"
Furthermore, he stated, "Exploiting the legitimate demands of the public regarding voting rights to undermine democracy is absolutely intolerable," and urged relevant authorities to adhere to a principle of zero tolerance to prevent such actions from occurring.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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