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 Office of the President stated on June 5 that it "takes seriously" the resignations offered by Noh Taeak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, and Heo Cheolhun, Secretary General of the National Election Commission, who took responsibility for the ballot paper shortage incident 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

An official from the Office of the President said on this day, "We take seriously the resignations offered by Noh Taeak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, and Heo Cheolhun, Secretary General of the National Election Commission," expressing this position.

The Office of the President emphasized that the National Election Commission must provide an explanation and follow-up measures that are acceptable to the public. The official stated, "The National Election Commission must offer a sufficient explanation and stringent follow-up measures that the public can accept regarding the significant concerns caused during the election process."

The Office of the President also called for a comprehensive review and improvement of the election management system. The official said, "A responsible review and improvement of the entire election management system must be carried out to restore public trust."

On this day, Chairman Noh held a public apology press conference at the National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, expressing his sense of responsibility for the ballot paper shortage incident and announcing his resignation. Secretary General Heo also expressed his intent to resign, taking responsibility as the head of the secretariat.

Previously, during the June 3 local elections, several polling stations, including some in Seoul, experienced a shortage of ballot papers, resulting in the temporary suspension of voting or voters having to wait for extended periods. At some polling stations, voting continued even after the scheduled closing time, further fueling controversy over poor 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 the senior aides’ meeting the previous day regarding this incident, "In a democratic republic, it is deeply regrettable that such an inexplicable lapse occurred in election management, which should be handled with the utmost rigor." President Lee instructed that all the powers and responsibilities of the administration must be exercised to clearly identify the cause of the problem and hold those responsible to account if necessary.

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