[Editorial] The June 3 Election Saw an Unprecedented Ballot Shortage

The June 3 local elections have come to an end. With the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) effectively securing victory, an unprecedented shortage of ballots in some constituencies is likely to become a major source of public controversy.
First, as the ruling party had expected, it won in most regions, including key battlegrounds, and gained momentum for governing on the back of public support. However, the results fell short of its initial expectations for vote totals and the number of winners it hoped to produce, leaving it with a burden as well.
In particular, the ballot shortage at 14 polling stations, including those in Jamsil-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, was an absurd incident that is difficult to excuse in any way. With tensions between the ruling and opposition parties already running high, it is certain to cause major turbulence in the political landscape. Allegations of election fraud could also resurface. Who would accept the NEC's explanation that ballots were printed based on an expected turnout of 50%? The authorities should conduct a thorough investigation into the facts and then impose strict accountability on those responsible.
Through this election, both the ruling and opposition parties will have grasped the will of voters. From now on, they must read public sentiment carefully, reflect on what they did well and what they did wrong, and incorporate that into policy. The principle of majority rule, in which the candidate with the most votes, even by a single ballot, is elected, is the foundation of democracy. They should willingly accept the election results and cooperate for regional development and, ultimately, national development.
As the term grassroots democracy suggests, local autonomy is the very foundation of democracy. That is why the role of local governments and local councils is so important. Looking back on local autonomy after the ninth election, the achievements are far from small. By joining forces to drive regional development, local leaders and council members who know their communities well have helped create visible progress, so much so that any region now looks markedly different from what it was decades ago.
But beneath the surface, the problems facing local communities are serious and varied. The biggest issue is the widening gap between the Seoul metropolitan area and the regions. This is, of course, tied to central government policy as well. While population continues to concentrate in Seoul and the surrounding area, the regions are being pushed toward extinction. The government is devoting all its efforts to revitalizing the regions through the Five-Core and Three-Specialized Region Policy and the Local Government Integration Policy, but whether those efforts will produce the desired results remains uncertain.
To use the country's limited land efficiently, balanced development is a task that the central and local governments must tackle as one team and complete, even if it takes time. If young people are to stay in their regions and the population of the Seoul metropolitan area is to be redistributed, the only path is to make the regions better places to live.
The newly elected local leaders, council members, and superintendents of education must continue to think hard about how to make their hometowns wealthier and more environmentally friendly. They must also work closely with the central government. If they can foster local industries and deliver outstanding educational results, the population will naturally flow in from the Seoul metropolitan area. That responsibility now rests on the shoulders of the winners.
The 14 newly elected lawmakers should also enter the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and help refresh the atmosphere of the ruling and opposition parties, which have become trapped in political infighting. The public is already fed up with a political scene in ROK that never seems to stop fighting. What people desperately want is serious policy debate for the future and a show of cooperation, with both sides joining hands. Expectations are high that the elected lawmakers will help realize sound politics. Citizens want to see these newcomers act as a "catfish" in a stagnant political pond.