SEOUL — South Korea’s National Election Commission (NEC) faced continued public protests on Wednesday after ballot shortages disrupted the June 3 local elections, with demonstrators demanding a rerun of affected voting while authorities investigated the cause of the logistical failure.
The protests began shortly after the election, when shortages of ballot papers were reported at polling stations across the country. The NEC said the disruption affected dozens of polling stations, temporarily halting voting at some locations after supplies ran out. The commission apologized for the incident and said it would cooperate with investigations into the election management process.
Demonstrators gathered near the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul’s Songpa district, a vote-counting site, calling for a new election and greater accountability from election authorities. Police estimated that thousands of people joined rallies during the early stages of the protests, with some demonstrations continuing for days.
The NEC has said the ballot shortage was an administrative failure rather than evidence that the election results were invalid. The commission has rejected calls for a nationwide rerun, saying the disruptions did not meet legal requirements for overturning the vote.
The controversy led to the resignation of NEC chief officials as political pressure increased. President Lee Jae Myung called for a review of election management procedures and urged accountability over the failures.
The incident has also triggered formal investigations. South Korean authorities launched a joint police and prosecution inquiry into the election management problems, while parliament opened a separate investigation into the NEC’s handling of the shortages.
Political parties have responded differently to the crisis. Opposition figures criticized the NEC’s handling of the election and demanded stronger measures, while election officials maintained that the results remained legally valid.
The June 3 vote elected local government leaders and council members across South Korea. The NEC said the shortages were linked to preparation and supply management issues, while officials pledged reforms to prevent similar disruptions in future elections.
The protests remained ongoing as authorities continued their investigations and parliamentary review, with officials expected to release further findings on election management procedures.
