Unprecedented 'Ballot Paper Incident'... President Lee to Meet 'Four Key Government Leaders' on the 8th

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeongsik, Prime Minister Kim Minseok, Constitutional Court President Kim Sanghwan, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Huidae to Attend
Discussion on the "Ballot Paper Incident" That Shook the Foundation of Popular Sover

The Blue House announced that President Lee Jae-myung will hold a meeting with the heads of the four major branches of government at the Blue House on the afternoon of June 8. With the position of the chairperson of the National Election Commission currently vacant, the attendees will include National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, President of the Constitutional Court Kim Sang-hwan, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Cho Hee-dae. While the meeting appears to have been arranged to mark the election of Speaker Cho, it is expected to serve as an opportunity to discuss the growing controversy over the National Election Commission, which has been under fire due to the recent "ballot paper incident."

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Chief Presidential Secretary meeting held at the Blue House on June 4, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

An official from the Blue House said on June 7, "Given the seriousness of the (ballot paper shortage) incident, the meeting will focus on discussing this issue and gathering opinions." This is the first time in approximately six months that President Lee has separately invited the four key officials, aside from the usual New Year's gathering, since the luncheon with five major government officials held on December 3 last year. Considering the gravity of this incident, which shakes the very foundation of the nation’s sovereignty, President Lee seems to believe that it is necessary to hear the opinions of the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the Constitutional Court.

Earlier that day, President Lee strongly criticized the National Election Commission for causing the ballot shortage, stating, "An independent body that has lost the trust of the people no longer has a reason to exist." He also announced that he had instructed the formation of a joint investigation team involving both the prosecution and the police.

On the same day, President Lee wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account, "The reason the Chairperson of the National Election Commission is defined as one of the five major government officials is because the Commission, like the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, is an independent body with corresponding authority, duties, and responsibilities."

President Lee criticized, "During the June 3 local elections, the Commission caused significant disruption to the people’s exercise of their suffrage," adding, "Not only is the incident itself difficult to comprehend, but the Commission’s subsequent response and explanations to the public have also been insufficient."

President Lee further stated, "The people’s right to vote is a constitutional right that must not be restricted or infringed upon for any reason, and this incident constitutes a serious violation of the foundation of national sovereignty," expressing his deep regret "both as a citizen and as the President responsible for the government."

President Lee also urged, "The National Assembly should promptly conduct a parliamentary investigation to clarify the facts of this incident and devise measures to prevent its recurrence," adding, "I also request that fundamental institutional reforms regarding the Election Commission be discussed together."

Additionally, President Lee said, "The government, for its part, will also take every possible measure at the executive level, considering the seriousness of this matter," and added, "I have instructed the formation of a joint investigation team involving the prosecution and the police in order to clearly determine responsibility and thoroughly uncover all the facts."

He emphasized, "The Election Commission must take this incident seriously and conduct a fundamental review of its organization and overall election management. It must also demonstrate a strong will for reform and innovation at a level that can restore the public's trust."

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