Lead
A parliamentary special committee in South Korea investigating ballot shortages that disrupted the June 3 local elections carried out its first on-site inspection this week, entering a vote-counting venue that had been blockaded by protesters. The committee confirmed that ballot boxes and other election materials remained in storage, while authorities arrested one man during the operation.
Coverage comparison
According to Yonhap News, the committee approved the inspection plan during a plenary meeting on Wednesday, scheduling visits to the Songpa District Election Commission and the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in southern Seoul for Thursday morning. The committee also planned to send an official letter requesting police cooperation ahead of the inspection, given the ongoing protest at the Olympic Park area.
The second on-site inspection, originally scheduled for next Wednesday, was moved up to Tuesday, though its location had yet to be decided, as reported by Yonhap.
On Thursday, committee members, led by chief Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the main opposition People Power Party, entered the gymnasium after police cleared protesters from the entrance. A man in his 60s was arrested on charges of obstructing official duties after allegedly pushing police officers during the clearing, Yonhap reported.
Key claims
The committee inspected the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium, which served as a ballot counting site on election day, and the Songpa District Election Commission. The inspection came 27 days after protesters began blockading the gymnasium on June 5, two days after ballot shortages temporarily suspended voting at polling stations.
During the inspection, lawmakers examined a basement storage area housing around 380 ballot boxes, approximately 2.47 million ballots, and voting logs. The committee confirmed that the ballot boxes and other election materials remained inside the storage rooms but raised concerns over the lack of surveillance cameras and other security measures. The committee did not open any of the ballot boxes.
Scuffles were witnessed outside the stadium early Thursday, with some protesters shoving one another and tearing American flags carried by other participants. Some protesters blockaded the stadium in opposition to the inspection.
Ahead of the inspection, the National Election Commission's acting secretary-general, Kang Dong-wan, said Wednesday that the commission was open to allowing representatives from the ruling and main opposition parties, as well as civic groups, to inspect the ballot boxes stored at the stadium. Kang said, "We have concluded that it would be difficult to resolve the issue on our own."
The committee plans to hold its first hearing on July 14 and a second hearing on July 22 before adopting its final report, according to Yonhap. It also plans to file complaints against witnesses who fail to appear or give false testimony.
The National Assembly launched the 18-member committee last month to investigate the cause of ballot shortages at more than a dozen polling stations in Seoul.