Ruling party criticizes election commission over ballot shortages, demands resignations

Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, sharply criticized the National Election Commission's management of ballot paper shortages during a recent by-election. He described the commission's actions as "covering up illegality with illegality and covering up crime with violence."

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The root of this entire situation is the Election Commission, and poor voting management is the main culprit.

Speaking at a press briefing, Song asserted that the Election Commission was the root cause of the problems due to its "poor voting management." He questioned the police's deployment of riot police to forcibly remove citizens protesting the commission's failures, asking what efforts were made to resolve the issue peacefully before resorting to such measures.

Song alleged that images and videos circulating online showed police physically dragging citizens away and engaging in violence. He urged the Minister of the Interior and Safety, Yoon Ho-jung, to investigate these claims and take swift action against any officers found to have used excessive force.

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Police are labeling them as illegal protesters and forcibly dispersing them. What efforts did the Election Commission and the government make to resolve this issue peacefully before forcibly apprehending the protesters?

The floor leader also called for an immediate internal investigation by the Election Commission into what he termed "three major crime gates" related to the election: voting delays, simultaneous voting and vote counting, and dereliction of duty by the commission. He reiterated demands for the resignations of key officials and proposed an emergency parliamentary investigation.

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Images of over a thousand riot police officers grabbing citizens by their hands and feet and dragging them away are circulating on internet communities.

Expressing his frustration, Song compared the current situation to the opposition party's intense scrutiny of the Itaewon crowd crush and the Sewol ferry disaster, stating, "At the time of the Itaewon and Sewol incidents, the opposition party, with just one small thing..." He trailed off, leaving his frustration unspoken.

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If the facts in the video are confirmed to be true, including assault or battery, I ask that the relevant police officers be immediately and severely punished according to the relevant laws.