The National Assembly's special committee investigating the voting paper shortage during the June 3 local elections faced a deadlock on August 10 while discussing the schedule for a recount at the Olympic Park ballot counting center.
The committee convened a full meeting in the National Assembly to agree on a specific timeline for the recount, but disagreements between the Democratic Party and the People Power Party prevented any consensus.
The Democratic Party argued that since both parties had tentatively agreed to conduct the recount on August 18, a final agreement should be reached to proceed with the recount at Olympic Park. In contrast, the People Power Party insisted that the recount should be conducted in conjunction with the special prosecutor's investigation, which is set to begin soon.
The Democratic Party maintained that the special prosecutor and the special committee are distinct entities, emphasizing that the recount should proceed independently. Yoon Geon-young, a member of the ruling party, stated, "The entity responsible for the recount is the special committee. The special prosecutor and the recount are unrelated," urging the People Power Party to cooperate.
Kim Yong-man, another committee member, questioned the sudden change in schedule, noting, "We already decided to proceed on the 18th; why change the timeline now?" He suggested that a vote should be held based on the principle of majority rule. Kim Nam-hee added that if the recount is conducted under the special prosecutor's office, it would likely be confidential due to the nature of investigations, stating, "If we do not conduct a public verification at the National Assembly, there is no point in proceeding with the recount."
The People Power Party countered that the agreement made by the party leaders included conducting the recount alongside the special prosecutor's investigation, insisting that the recount should be linked to the prosecutor's timeline. Seo Beom-soo, the opposition's secretary, emphasized that the specific timing of the recount should be discussed after the special prosecutor is established.
Choi Bo-yoon also remarked, "The timing is not as important as ensuring the recount is conducted properly," asserting that the People Power Party should clarify facts without any suspicion to reform the electoral system. Joo Jin-woo pointed out that the integrity of the Olympic Park issue has been compromised, suggesting that the Election Commission's server should be publicly verified to uncover the truth.
Amid the ongoing disputes, the committee, led by Chairman Yoon, failed to reach an agreement during a meeting between the party secretaries, resulting in the People Power Party proceeding with a solo hearing. Later that afternoon, members of the Democratic Party and the Justice Reform Party held a press conference at the National Assembly's communication center, collectively condemning the People Power Party.
Yoon stated, "We said we would accept any date the People Power Party wanted, but they rejected our proposals until the end. If they are willing to continue discussions for an agreement on the recount, we will respond. However, an apology from floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik and Chairman Yoon is a prerequisite."
He also mentioned the possibility of the committee members, excluding the People Power Party, proceeding with the recount independently. Kim Yong-man noted, "The attitude shown by the People Power Party today indicates that we can now make individual decisions," but added that they would need to review whether to proceed alone, emphasizing that the responsibility for today's events lies with the People Power Party.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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