NEC dismisses Seoul mayoral election appeal, citing no impact on results

South Korea's National Election Commission (NEC) has rejected an election appeal concerning the Seoul mayoral election, stating that while procedural violations occurred, they did not influence the final outcome. This decision sets a precedent for similar appeals filed by the People Power Party (PPP) and other groups regarding ballot shortages and voting disruptions during the recent local elections.

The NEC acknowledged that "facts of violating regulations exist" due to ballot shortages and temporary halts in voting. However, the commission concluded that these issues "cannot be seen as having affected the election results." This stance was reiterated in the dismissal of appeals from former Seoul Superintendent candidate Cho Jeon-hyuk and former Incheon Superintendent candidate Lee Dae-hyung, both citing similar reasons.

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Although facts of violating regulations exist due to ballot shortages and voting interruptions, it cannot be seen that the violation of those regulations affected the election results.

In total, the NEC has dismissed 12 election nullification appeals for various reasons, including failure to comply with requests for additional documentation. The PPP had filed appeals in seven races, including the Seoul mayoral election, citing ballot shortages. The Reform Party also filed appeals in 18 races. While the NEC's decisions on these are pending, they are widely expected to follow a similar pattern.

An election appeal is a formal process where a party challenges election results based on management issues. The NEC's Appeals Review Committee has 60 days to make a decision. If an appellant is dissatisfied with the NEC's ruling, they have 10 days to file a lawsuit in court. A PPP spokesperson indicated that if their appeals are rejected, they are prepared to proceed with legal action.

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If the election appeal is dismissed, we expect to proceed with an election lawsuit according to the procedures.