Office of the President Urges Election Commission to Ensure Smooth Voting and Ballot Counting... "Closely Monitoring the Situation"

On June 3, the presidential office stated, "The National Election Commission is a constitutional body responsible for guaranteeing the people's right to vote. We urge the commission to take responsible measures to ensure that residents in all regions can exercise their voting rights and that the ballot counting process is managed without disruption."

Kang Yujeong, Chief Presidential Spokesperson, made this comment regarding the shortage of ballots that occurred in some metropolitan areas during the 9th nationwide local elections. She added, "The presidential office is closely and strictly monitoring the situation."

On June 3, the main voting day of the June 3 local elections, residents are protesting in front of the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, after voting ended at 10 p.m. due to a shortage of ballots. June 3, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News.

Earlier, a senior official from the presidential office explained, "The National Election Commission is an independent constitutional body," and stated, "This is an issue that the commission itself must address." This means that since the commission is an independent body not affiliated with the executive branch, it is not a matter for the presidential office to intervene in.

However, as controversy grew—with opposition party members including Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, demanding a halt to vote counting and a re-vote, and with citizens and YouTubers at the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, protesting against the retrieval of ballot boxes and confronting commission officials—the presidential office also called on the commission to take responsible action.

Previously, at 14 polling stations including those in Songpa, Gangnam, Gwangjin, and Dongjak, a shortage of ballots led to a temporary suspension of voting. Some voters gave up on voting, while others received waiting tickets and reportedly cast their votes after 6 p.m. In the case of the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, although waiting tickets were distributed, not all recipients actually voted. The voting period was extended until 10 p.m. and apartment broadcasts were used to encourage residents to vote.

In this context, Heo Cheolhun, Secretary-General of the National Election Commission, issued a public apology at 9 p.m., stating, "During the voting process on June 3, the National Election Commission caused significant confusion and concern to the public due to a shortage of ballots at some polling stations. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to citizens who came to exercise their precious right to vote and for undermining public trust in the fair management of the election. We fully acknowledge our responsibility and deeply apologize."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.