Blue House Says NEC Must Take Responsible Action, Closely Watching Series of Developments

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[Financial News] The Blue House said on the 3rd, the day of the main voting for the June 3 local elections, that it is "closely watching the series of developments" after some polling stations in Songpa District and elsewhere ran short of ballot papers.
Kang Yoo-jung, chief spokesperson for the Blue House, said in a press notice that day, "As a constitutional body that guarantees the people's right to vote, the National Election Commission (NEC) should take responsible action so that residents in some areas can exercise their voting rights and so that vote counting can proceed without disruption."
Earlier, the Blue House said the ballot paper shortage was "a matter the NEC should address." The explanation was interpreted to mean that, since the NEC is an independent constitutional body rather than an agency under the executive branch, the Blue House was not in a position to directly command or supervise it under the principles of separation of powers and the independence of election administration. It also appeared to take into account that direct intervention could run counter to the spirit of separation of powers.
However, as the controversy continued to spread, the mood inside the Blue House shifted, and it began calling on the NEC to take responsible action.
Earlier in the afternoon, some polling stations in Gangnam District, Songpa District and Gwangjin-gu, Seoul experienced shortages of ballot papers.
In response, Heo Cheol-hoon, Secretary-General of the National Election Commission, issued a public apology that day over the shortages at some polling stations, saying, "We have caused great confusion and concern among the public."
He said, "We deeply apologize for causing inconvenience to voters who came to the polls to exercise their precious sovereign rights and for undermining public trust in fair election management. We fully recognize our responsibility."
He added, "The NEC takes this matter very seriously. As soon as vote counting is completed, we will accurately identify the causes and problems behind the shortage of ballot papers at some polling stations and prepare measures to prevent a recurrence. We apologize once again for disappointing the public with inadequate preparation and response."
In connection with the issue, the People Power Party is calling for the suspension of vote counting in the Seoul mayoral election and for a rerun. The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), meanwhile, dismissed the demand as "not even worth considering." However, Jo Seoung-lae, chief of the DPK's general election campaign headquarters, said, "We strongly regret the NEC's poor management of ballots," adding, "This is not something that can be brushed off with an apology. We will hold it accountable for its inadequate election management."
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter