South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for a thorough investigation into the recent local elections disrupted by a ballot shortage. He expressed deep regret and stated that prosecutors and police would be involved in the probe.
The National Election Commission (NEC) faced criticism over its handling of the incident, with thousands protesting outside a ballot-counting site in Seoul demanding a re-run. Lee urged parliament to conduct a fact-finding probe, establish measures to prevent recurrence, and discuss reform plans for the NEC.
Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the opposition People Power Party, visited the protests and called for a joint audit with Lee’s Democratic Party. He noted that ballot shortages were severe in conservative-leaning areas but did not call for a re-run, stating he would “obey whatever the people’s commands say.”
The Democratic Party won major local races but lost Seoul’s mayoralty to incumbent Oh Se-hoon, who secured another term. The NEC reported 50 of 14,300 polling stations ran out of ballots, and voting was suspended at 22 due to supply delays, particularly in conservative Songpa district in Seoul.