Korean Bar Association: "Ballot Shortage Is a Failure to Protect Suffrage...Demand Thorough Investigation"

The Korean Bar Association (KBA) has issued a strong criticism of the National Election Commission (NEC) regarding the ballot shortage incident that occurred during the June 3 local elections, demanding a thorough and unrestricted investigation into the cause.

In a statement released on June 6, the KBA warned, "The National Election Commission must not dismiss this unprecedented administrative failure as a mere error of working-level staff," and pointed out, "As an independent constitutional body, the NEC should treat this as a grave mistake for failing to fully protect citizens' suffrage."

In particular, the KBA cited several serious deficiencies: ballot papers running out at polling stations, resulting in temporary suspension of voting procedures; voters abandoning the polling stations after waiting for extended periods; and voting continuing even after the exit poll figures from terrestrial broadcasters had been announced. The association claimed that such disruptions constitute a failure to uphold the constitutional duty to ensure that citizens are able to exercise their sovereign rights fairly.

The KBA also expressed deep concern regarding the deployment of law enforcement at the counting centers in Songpa-gu, Seoul, where the unrest occurred. The association criticized the authorities, stating, "The act of forcibly controlling voters whose basic rights have been violated by mobilizing the police is a situation where a state institution, which should be held accountable, instead regards the citizens as subjects to be controlled."

Lastly, the KBA stressed that the NEC must clearly identify those responsible for the incident, emphasizing, "If public doubts about the fairness of the election system are not dispelled, the trust in the democracy that our society has built will be fundamentally shaken."

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