Voting Ballot Shortages Concentrated in Conservative Strongholds... People Power Party Accuses Authorities of 'Violating Voting Rights'

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\r\n[Financial News] Political wrangling is intensifying after an unprecedented ballot shortage at several polling stations in Seoul on the main voting day for the 9th local elections, held on the 3rd. Concerns have also been raised that the controversy could grow further, as many of the affected polling stations are in areas where People Power Party candidates have historically won strong support.
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According to the National Election Commission (NEC) and political sources on the 4th, the Seoul polling stations where the NEC officially acknowledged ballot shortages totaled 14, including 12 in Songpa District, one in Gangnam District and one in Gwangjin District. The People Power Party has also raised the issue in some parts of Seocho District and Dongjak District through its own reports.
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The Korea Economic Daily reported that the People Power Party is focusing on the fact that these polling stations are in traditional conservative strongholds. It also analyzed the vote share for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in the 8th Nationwide Local Elections in 2022 in the districts where those polling stations are located.
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\r\nThe analysis showed that most of them far exceeded Seoul's average vote share of 59.05%.
At the Jamsil 2-dong No. 6 Polling Place in Songpa District, where the first complaint over a ballot shortage was filed, Oh won 75.40% of the vote at the time. At the Jamsil 7-dong Polling Place No. 2, where voting hours were extended until 10 p.m. because of the shortage, he received 81.08%.
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\r\nOther polling stations, including Banpo 4-dong Polling Place No. 3 in Seocho District (81.25%) and Cheongdam-dong Polling Station No. 4 in Gangnam District (79.48%), were also classified as areas with strong support for the People Power Party.
\r\nPeople Power Party parliamentary leader Song Eon-seok is also raising suspicions, saying it is difficult to view the incident as a simple administrative mistake.
Song said, "Among the 14 places reported to have ballot shortages, there were polling stations where People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon won more than 81% in the 2022 local elections. Why did ballots run short only at those places, which are areas of particularly strong support for our party?"
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Oh Se-hoon also said in a statement, "Citizens' voting rights must not be violated for any reason," and argued that vote counting in Seoul should be postponed or suspended until measures are taken for affected voters.
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\r\nThe People Power Party believes that if any voters actually gave up voting because of the incident, it could amount to a serious violation of voting rights. As the possibility of a legal dispute over the validity of the election has also been raised, the fallout from the ballot shortage is expected to continue for some time.
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y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter