Nat'l Assembly begins procedure for potential probe on election ballot shortage

National Assembly Begins Formal Steps for Ballot Shortage Probe

The National Assembly on Thursday launched formal procedures for a potential parliamentary investigation into ballot shortages reported during last week's local elections, with requests for the probe submitted by both the ruling and opposition parties being reported to a plenary session, according to Yonhap News.

The head of the Proceedings Division of the National Assembly Secretariat said that the requests for a parliamentary probe were submitted separately by the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), with all lawmakers from each party sponsoring their respective requests.

The move marks the first step toward establishing a special parliamentary committee to examine allegations of mismanagement by the National Election Commission (NEC) during the voting process.

The establishment of the committee is expected to undergo negotiations, as proposals from the DP and the PPP differed over the scope of the probe and the number of seats to be allotted to each party on the committee.

The PPP has argued that a separate special counsel probe should be launched alongside the parliamentary investigation, while the DP has maintained that such a move should be considered after the parliamentary probe.

In a meeting chaired by National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik, the rival parties shared a consensus on holding a plenary session as early as next week to adopt a plan for the parliamentary probe, according to officials.

Separately, the PPP's new floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig met with Hong Ik-pyo, presidential secretary for political affairs, and stressed the need for a special counsel probe into the incident. Hong said the presidential office would be open to the idea of a special counsel investigation if the rival parties reach an agreement, according to PPP spokesperson Choi Soo-jin.

Ballot Shortages and Reactions

The investigation comes after ballot shortages were reported at more than a dozen polling stations in Seoul during the June 3 local elections, temporarily disrupting voting and prompting protests by people alleging election fraud.

The NEC has acknowledged that at least 26 polling stations nationwide had experienced at least a temporary shortage of ballot papers on election day.

The incident sparked public outrage, with angry protesters blocking the entrance to one of the polling stations to prevent election officials from removing the ballot boxes.

Rep. Song Eon-seog, then floor leader of the PPP, called for a parliamentary investigation during an emergency general meeting of party lawmakers on June 4, saying, "This is exactly the kind of case that requires a special counsel probe."

After the controversy surfaced, the PPP had initially demanded the NEC immediately suspend vote counting and hold a revote. PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok and party officials visited the NEC to file an official complaint.

The ruling DP took aim at the PPP for dropping its calls for a revote. "The PPP demanded a suspension of vote counting and called for a revote when it expected the outcome to be unfavorable, but it swept such calls under the rug once the vote count turned to its favor," said Rep. Jo Seoung-lae, DP secretary general and head of the party election campaign committee.

PPP Elects New Floor Leader

The main opposition People Power Party elected three-term lawmaker Jeong Jeom-sig as its new floor leader on June 10, days after his predecessor resigned following the party's defeat in the local elections, according to Yonhap. Rep. Jeong, who represents a constituency in South Gyeongsang Province, defeated four-term lawmaker Kim Do-eup and three-term Rep. Sung Il-jong by winning 55 out of 103 votes in a runoff against Kim.

The floor leader election was held after Rep. Song Eon-seog stepped down on June 5, just 10 days before his term was set to end. Song's resignation came amid growing calls within the PPP for leader Jang Dong-hyeok to step down over the party's defeat. Although the PPP managed to retain Seoul, it won only four out of the 16 key mayoral and gubernatorial posts contested nationwide, while the DP swept 12 seats.

The new floor leader faces the task of resolving internal rifts and steering the embattled party's reform efforts following the former president's failed martial law bid, as well as the party's recent election defeat.