South Korea election commission admits errors but denies fraud

South Korea's National Election Commission (NEC) has acknowledged "sloppy management" and the incorrect input of voter numbers during the recent local elections but firmly rejected claims of election fraud. The commission stated that while there were shortcomings in its procedures, no intentional manipulation occurred.

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We humbly admit to the mismanagement, but we absolutely cannot agree with the claim of election fraud.

Kang Dong-wan, the acting secretary-general of the NEC, addressed the issue during a parliamentary hearing, admitting that "there were some oversights in the hourly voter count." However, he insisted that "the NEC as an organization did not engage in such acts with any intention." Kang attributed some of the issues to the inherent limitations of using an analog system for vote tabulation in the digital age.

Members of the People Power Party vehemently disagreed with the NEC's assessment. Rep. Joo Ho-young argued that the evidence clearly indicated intentional manipulation and criticized the commission for offering excuses rather than taking full responsibility. Rep. Kim Eun-hye urged the committee chairman to formally record the NEC's actions as "manipulation" rather than "adjustment."

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It is evident to anyone that it was intentional manipulation. It is not enough to point out the mistakes; you are just making excuses in front of the public.

Former NEC Chairman Noh Tae-ak apologized for the commission's mistakes and expressed hope that such incidents would not recur. Acting NEC Chairman Wi Cheol-hwan pledged to implement thorough improvements to prevent future issues. Kang Dong-wan also apologized and committed to a complete overhaul of the system before the next election, aiming to restore public trust in the electoral process.

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We apologize for our mistakes and hope that such an incident never happens again.