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Seoul Mayor Demands NEC Overhaul After Ballot Shortage
🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Seoul Mayor Demands NEC Overhaul After Ballot Shortage

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon demanded a thorough investigation and reform of the National Election Commission (NEC) after a ballot shortage disrupted voting in dozens of polling stations.
  • Oh criticized the NEC's handling of the incident as a violation of citizens' right to vote and called for accountability, including a special prosecutor and parliamentary inquiry.
  • He urged a complete overhaul of the election management system, emphasizing the need for advanced technology and data prediction to prevent future failures.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has called for a sweeping overhaul of the National Election Commission (NEC) following a ballot shortage that disenfranchised voters across the capital. Oh described the incident, which occurred on election day, as a "grave violation of the right to vote" and an "assault on the constitution."

No excuse can justify the state preventing citizens from voting when it encourages them to do so.

— Oh Se-hoonSeoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon criticizing the National Election Commission's failure to provide enough ballots.

"No excuse can justify the state preventing citizens from voting when it encourages them to do so," Oh stated in a press conference. He highlighted the frustration of young voters, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, who are demanding transparency, fairness, and a special prosecutor to investigate the NEC's failures. The mayor expressed deep regret that Seoul citizens' voting rights were compromised due to the election authority's incompetence.

Oh demanded a thorough and transparent investigation into the causes of the ballot shortage, including potential negligence or intentional misconduct. He urged the National Assembly to utilize all available powerful tools, such as a parliamentary inquiry and a special prosecutor, to uncover the truth. The mayor also called for the strict punishment of those responsible, regardless of their position, citing the NEC's repeated mismanagement, including issues during the previous presidential election.

This is a grave violation of the right to vote and an assault on the constitution.

— Oh Se-hoonSeoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon describing the impact of the ballot shortage.

"Without drastic personnel and organizational reforms, the NEC cannot regain public trust," Oh asserted. He stressed that the election management system must be completely redesigned to prevent such a recurrence. The mayor concluded by promising to continue advocating for citizens' rights until the truth is revealed and responsible actions are taken, urging the government to ensure that no vote is wasted due to official incompetence.

Without drastic personnel and organizational reforms, the NEC cannot regain public trust.

— Oh Se-hoonSeoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon demanding changes within the National Election Commission.
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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