President Lee says he will consider a one-point constitutional amendment for the NEC... "Some criminal acts must be met with a firm response"

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung said on the 19th that, regarding reform of the National Election Commission (NEC), "If necessary, I think we may need to pursue even a one-point constitutional amendment concerning the NEC." He said external oversight and checks on the NEC should be strengthened in the wake of the June 3 local elections ballot shortage incident.
At a question-and-answer session following a briefing on the results of his Europe tour and the Group of Seven summit (G7 summit) at Chunchugwan, Lee said, "The NEC issue is truly absurd," adding, "If the election system and voting system, which are the foundation of the state’s democratic basic order, are run by a constitutionally designated neutral body without any control, then it should bear that much responsibility. But instead of taking responsibility, it seems to have enjoyed a freedom close to lawlessness."
Lee also pointed to the ballot shortage, saying, "Ballots are supposed to be printed in the number of people who will vote," and added, "Isn’t that something even a class president election would do? It is simply unacceptable." He continued, "It is not as if there was no budget," and stressed, "It is clear that fundamental reform is needed. We cannot go on like this."
Lee said the first step should be to improve laws and institutions. "At the very least, there should be some degree of external oversight and checks," he said. "Can it be right for the chairperson to be effectively appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Korea in that way? There are also claims that, as a nonstanding member, the chairperson did not even properly come to work on election day. How can that be acceptable?"
He added that because the NEC is a constitutionally independent body, there may be limits to what can be done through ordinary legal revisions alone. "The Constitution so clearly defines it as an independent body that if we create laws and systems for oversight, control, and checks, there is a high possibility they will be ruled unconstitutional," Lee said. "If necessary, and if the ruling and opposition parties can reach agreement, I think we may need to pursue even a one-point constitutional amendment concerning the NEC."
"If necessary, I would even propose it as president," he said, but added, "It is difficult to tell whether this is a sincere effort to solve the problem or an attempt to use it for political attacks and then step back." He went on to say, "I urge the political world to engage in serious discussion, and the government will decide its position while watching how those discussions unfold."
Regarding the protest in front of the Jamsil 7-dong polling place, he said legitimate demands for voting rights must be distinguished from illegal acts. "Protests to secure voting rights should not be condemned; they should be protected," Lee said. "But spreading false information, flooding the public with fake news to stir social confusion, or stopping passersby for checks and blocking entry so that important work cannot be done amounts to obstruction of duties."
"We must strictly distinguish between the exercise of sovereignty for the legitimate securing of voting rights and criminal acts aimed at destroying order," Lee said. "We will respond firmly where necessary and make sure what must be protected is fully protected."
west@fnnews.com Seong Seok-woo, Choi Jong-geun Reporter