Ruling Party Faces 6.3 Election Fallout... Election Commission Subject to Parliamentary Probe, Reform Body Considered

Debate Continues Over Cheongrae Jeong’s Responsibility for Local Election Results
Eonju Lee Resigns from Supreme Council, Says "I Take Full Responsibility"

The Democratic Party of Korea will submit a request for a parliamentary investigation on June 8 regarding the National Election Commission, which came under fire for ballot paper shortages during the nationwide local elections held on June 3. The party is also considering establishing a reform body for the Election Commission.

Byeongdo Han, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party, held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly on June 7, stating, "We will immediately begin negotiations with the People Power Party tomorrow (the 8th) to conduct a parliamentary investigation," and added, "We will submit the request for a parliamentary investigation and ask the Speaker of the National Assembly to convene a plenary session as soon as possible." As members of the investigation committee, nine lawmakers who served on the Public Administration and Security Committee during the first half of the parliamentary session, including Assemblyman Kunyoung Yoon, have been appointed.

Democratic Party Floor Leader Byeongdo Han Holding an Emergency Press Conference Yonhap News Agency

The Democratic Party also plans to set up an election system reform task force (TF) within the party to examine the possibilities of a special prosecutor and constitutional amendments. Floor Leader Han said, "We will thoroughly review all relevant laws, including the Public Official Election Act and the National Election Commission Act, and ensure institutional improvements so that incidents such as basket voting or ballot transportation in zipper bags never happen again," adding, "If necessary, we will also consider the option of a special prosecutor."

Additionally, Hankyu Kim, Senior Deputy Floor Leader for Policy, pointed out that since the Election Commission is a constitutionally independent body and thus exempt from external oversight such as audits by the Board of Audit and Inspection, "Simply amending the Board of Audit and Inspection Act cannot avoid constitutional controversy, and if necessary, we must even consider constitutional amendments as this is a grave matter."

There are also voices among some Democratic Party lawmakers calling for a re-election. However, unlike the People Power Party's call for a full re-election, they argue that only the areas affected by the ballot paper issue should have a re-election.

Kim Hyungnam, Standing Co-Chair of the Election Committee for Seoul Mayoral Candidate Jeong Won-oh, suggested, "The Democratic Party should file an election petition to request a re-election," emphasizing, "This situation must not be concluded while leaving lingering questions and distrust about the election without following the procedures stipulated by the system."

However, the Democratic Party leadership remains cautious about a re-election. Floor Leader Han said, "The People Power Party has said they will file a lawsuit to nullify the election, so we should wait and see the court's prompt judgment in accordance with the law and principles."

Meanwhile, within the Democratic Party, debate continues over the responsibility of Party Leader Jeong Cheongrae for the outcome of the local elections, including the failure to regain the Seoul mayoralty and the loss of support in the Honam region. On June 8, Eonju Lee, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party, resigned from her position, stating, "The departure of moderates and the 2030 young generation, as well as the changing public sentiment confirmed in key metropolitan areas, should be taken seriously not only by our party but also in terms of government policy."

Regarding the election results, the Democratic Party is forming an evaluation committee composed of internal and external figures and is pursuing the publication of a white paper.

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