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South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has called for a speedy and rigorous investigation into the unprecedented shortage of ballots at polling stations in Seoul during last week's local elections, describing the incident as a grave challenge to the nation's democracy. The prime minister's remarks came amid public outrage and protests demanding accountability and a rerun of the elections.

Coverage Comparison

All reports on this story come from Yonhap News, South Korea's leading wire service. The coverage spans multiple days, tracking the government's response and the escalating public reaction.

On June 5, Yonhap reported that Prime Minister Kim, in a social media post, said the ballot shortage "can never be overlooked" and promised to mobilize all possible tools to get to the bottom of the case. He stated that a parliamentary investigation or a special prosecutor probe should be used if necessary, emphasizing, "I will order the truth of this incident be revealed through all possible means and measures, including an investigation, and hold those responsible strictly accountable."

By June 9, Yonhap reported that Kim expressed deep regret over the incident at a youth policy meeting, saying he was ashamed and that the government "should have been more sensitive to such issues and should've responded more quickly to come up with solutions, but we couldn't. It was truly regrettable and it reinforced our sense of responsibility."

On June 11, Yonhap reported that Kim convened a meeting with officials from relevant ministries to discuss government response measures. During that meeting, he called for bipartisan cooperation to investigate the ballot shortage, stating that such cooperation is needed to solidify democracy. The prime minister's call came as the National Assembly launched formal procedures for a potential parliamentary investigation into the shortages.

Key Claims

  • The ballot shortage occurred at a dozen polling stations in Seoul, according to Yonhap's initial report. Later reports mentioned more than a dozen stations, and a separate report noted that voting was temporarily suspended at 26 stations in Seoul and elsewhere.
  • Prime Minister Kim Min-seok called for an investigation and promised to mobilize all possible tools, including a parliamentary investigation or special prosecutor probe, to uncover the truth and hold those responsible to account.
  • The incident sparked public outrage and protests. Protests were held around a ballot counting place in Seoul's southern district of Jamsil, with demonstrators demanding a rerun of the local elections. Yonhap reported that tens of thousands of people had amassed over the weekend to protest the shortages and block election officials from removing ballot boxes.
  • President Lee Jae Myung has pledged a thorough investigation and measures to overhaul the National Election Commission, as reported by Yonhap.

Perspectives

Government Response

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has acknowledged the government's failure to respond quickly and sensitively to the ballot shortage, expressing regret and a sense of responsibility. He has called for a rigorous investigation and bipartisan cooperation to address the issue and prevent future occurrences.

Protesters' Demands

Protesters, particularly younger voters in their 20s and 30s, have been holding protests around a ballot counting place in Seoul's southern district of Jamsil, demanding a rerun of the local elections. They have also blocked election officials from removing ballot boxes, according to Yonhap.

National Assembly

The National Assembly has launched formal procedures for a potential parliamentary investigation into the ballot shortages, indicating a legislative push to examine the causes and consequences of the incident.