Seoul mayoral candidate seeks ballot preservation amid shortage claims

Kim Jung-chul, a candidate for Seoul mayor and a supreme council member of the Reform Party, has filed a request with the court for the preservation of evidence. This action is aimed at investigating the truth behind an alleged shortage of ballot papers during the recent local elections.

The Seoul Eastern District Court confirmed that Kim and Reform Party floor leader Chun Ha-ram submitted the application for evidence preservation concerning ballot boxes, ballot papers, and vote tally sheets. The case has been assigned to Judge Kim Ji-yeon of the Civil Division 51.

Kim stated on his Facebook page that he submitted the "Application for Preservation of Evidence" to the court, emphasizing the need to secure evidence of the truth before it disappears over time. He noted that ballot papers and records, along with internal communications from the election commission, could be lost.

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I will protect the evidence of the truth first, as ballot papers and records disappear over time.

Candidates or political parties participating in an election have the right to request the court to preserve evidence, including ballot boxes, papers, and tally sheets. If the court grants the request, a judge will physically seal the evidence at the site and store it in a separate location. This preserved evidence can then be used in subsequent election lawsuits.

Court officials indicated that decisions on such preservation requests are typically made swiftly. It is possible that a ruling on this specific application could be issued as early as the same day. However, there is no codified regulation specifying a deadline for such decisions. If the court approves the preservation request, the ballot boxes currently at the Seoul Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium, where a protest has been ongoing for four days regarding the "Jamsil vote counting site lockdown," will likely be included in the preserved evidence.

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We are submitting an 'Application for Preservation of Evidence' to the Seoul Eastern District Court.