Prime Minister Kim: "Ballot Paper Shortage, Senior Election Commission Officials Should Step Down"

Prime Minister Kim Minseok commented on the ballot paper shortage incident that occurred during the June 3 local elections, saying, "In my personal opinion, everyone in the National Election Commission who holds a certain level of senior position should step down."

Prime Minister Kim Minseok

At a 'Roundtable with Former and Current Student Council Presidents Regarding the Local Elections' held at the Government Complex Seoul on the 7th, Prime Minister Kim stated, "This incident is baffling even to me," and delivered his remarks accordingly.

Prime Minister Kim said, "I have never heard of such an incident, and it is something that should never happen," adding, "It is incomprehensible and unacceptable, so it is only natural that this issue is being raised and people are angry." He continued, "(This incident) is a violation of suffrage and a challenge to the fundamentals of democracy."

He went on to say, "I have already instructed the Minister of the Interior and Safety to investigate this matter if possible, and if necessary, I have stated that a parliamentary investigation or a special prosecutor should be considered after discussions in the National Assembly. This is the current position of the administration, including President Lee Jae-myung."

He added, "President Lee also has a deep interest in this issue and has stated that a thorough investigation must be conducted and responsibility must be clearly established."

Prime Minister Kim promised, "If there are any lawful means available under the current laws to uncover the truth, we will use every possible method. If legal revisions are necessary, we will proceed with the revisions even if it takes time."

He also pointed out, "The National Election Commission holds exclusive authority over voting and election management, and there is a significant problem in that there is no system for external control or oversight, including by the Board of Audit and Inspection," adding, "I believe institutional reforms are necessary."

Additionally, he stated, "At the government level, we will try to establish a framework for nationwide discussion on this matter."

However, regarding calls from some quarters for a re-election, he said, "Even if we verify the facts, whether a re-election is truly necessary is something that should be debated," noting, "There are places where the winners have already been determined regardless of the ballot paper issue, so whether a re-election is appropriate in these cases, and whether the winning candidates would accept a re-election, are separate matters."

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