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Election Officials Skip Hearing, Lawmakers Criticize 'Public Disregard'
🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Election Officials Skip Hearing, Lawmakers Criticize 'Public Disregard'

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • South Korean lawmakers criticized election commission officials for mass absences from a parliamentary hearing on ballot shortages.
  • The hearing aimed to investigate ballot shortages during the 6.3 local elections and reform election management.
  • Election commission officials cited various reasons for their absence, while the committee chairperson expressed hope for their future attendance.

South Korean lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties sharply criticized election commission officials for their widespread absence from a parliamentary hearing investigating ballot shortages during the recent 6.3 local elections. The hearing, convened by a special committee, was intended to uncover the truth behind the ballot issues and propose reforms for election management.

Out of nine summoned election commission members, only the former chairperson and the acting chairperson attended. Seven standing committee members, including those directly involved in the ballot shortage incident, were absent. Lawmakers decried the absences as a "collective defiance" and a sign that the election commission was "disregarding the public."

There is a commonality among those absent. They are all non-standing members.

— Yoon Kun-youngDemocratic Party lawmaker Yoon Kun-young commented on the absence of election commission members from the hearing.

Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Kun-young pointed out that all absent members were non-standing committee members and questioned the legitimacy of their absence justifications, suggesting collusion. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Eun-hye called the mass absence "collective defiance against the public." Opposition whip Seo Bum-soo acknowledged the tight schedule but stressed the importance of attending given the grave matter of infringed public voting rights.

The absence of all non-standing members is collective defiance against the public.

— Kim Eun-hyePeople Power Party lawmaker Kim Eun-hye criticized the mass absence of election commission officials.

Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Ki-heon stated that the officials' attitude towards the public and the National Assembly reflects the core of the problem, leading to such incidents. He criticized the election commission's actions as "disregarding the public."

Acting Election Commission Chairperson Wi Cheol-hwan apologized for the ballot shortage incident, calling it "heartbreaking" and expressing sincere apologies to voters for the confusion and inconvenience. He acknowledged the responsibility of election officials and pledged to reflect on the situation.

It is heartbreaking. I offer our apologies to the voters.

— Wi Cheol-hwanActing Election Commission Chairperson Wi Cheol-hwan apologized for the ballot shortage incident.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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