Blue House "Takes Seriously" the Resignations of Noh Tae-ak and Heo Cheol-hoon Over Ballot Shortage Crisis

"National Election Commission Must Offer a Convincing Explanation to the Public"

The Blue House announced on June 5 that it "takes seriously" the resignations of Noh Tae-ak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, and Heo Cheol-hoon, Secretary-General of the National Election Commission, who offered to step down over the ballot shortage crisis during the June 3 local elections.

Noh Taeak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, is making a public apology for the ballot paper shortage incident at the National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province on June 5, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

A Blue House official stated on this day, "We take the resignations of Chairman Noh Tae-ak and Secretary-General Heo Cheol-hoon very seriously," reiterating the administration's position.

The Blue House emphasized that the National Election Commission must provide an explanation and follow-up measures that are convincing to the public. The official added, "The National Election Commission must offer a thorough explanation that the public can accept, along with strict follow-up measures, regarding the significant concerns caused to citizens during the election process."

The Blue House also called for a comprehensive review and improvement of the election administration system. The official stated, "A responsible review and improvement of the entire election management system is also essential to restore public trust."

On this day, Chairman Noh held a public apology press conference at the National Election Commission office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, expressing his deep sense of responsibility for the ballot shortage crisis and announcing his intent to step down. Secretary-General Heo also offered his resignation, taking responsibility as the head of the Secretariat.

Previously, during the June 3 local elections, ballot shortages at several polling stations, including parts of Seoul, led to temporary suspensions of voting and long waits for voters. In some locations, voting continued even after the official closing time, intensifying controversy over inadequate election management.

President Lee Jae-myung is delivering a memorial speech at the South Korea-U.S. mutual repatriation ceremony for the remains of Korean War soldiers held at Seongnam Seoul Airport on June 5, 2026. Photo by Cheongwadae Press Photographers Group The Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung stated at a senior aides meeting the previous day, "I deeply regret that such an inexplicable flaw occurred in election management, which must be conducted with the utmost rigor in a democratic republic." President Lee ordered the administration to use all its authority and responsibility to thoroughly reveal the reasons for the problem, and to hold those accountable if any responsibility is found.

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