South Korean Election Commission Faces Calls for Overhaul After Ballot Shortage

Calls for a fundamental overhaul of South Korea's National Election Commission are intensifying after a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections sparked public outcry and demands for a rerun.

Academics and politicians are urging the commission to adopt a system where it undergoes external audits, similar to other government bodies. They also propose transitioning from its current non-standing committee structure to one with full-time standing members to improve election management.

"The commission's complacency must end," said Shin Bong-gi, a professor at Kyungpook National University's Law School. "Even if the commission isn't audited 100% like other institutions, it should be subject to post-audit reviews when issues arise in voting and counting."

Some suggest a more radical restructuring, including potentially reintegrating the election commission into the administrative branch to focus on managing elections. Others propose a constitutional review to determine if the commission needs to remain a separate constitutional body, or if election management could be handled by general administrative agencies or local governments.

Politicians are also weighing in. Lee Eon-ju of the Democratic Party suggested a complete dissolution and reassessment of the commission's role to restore public trust. Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party plans to introduce a bill allowing for election invalidation in cases of procedural violations, such as ballot shortages. Han Dong-hoon, an independent lawmaker, is proposing amendments to the Audit and Inspection Board Act to enable external audits of the commission and a bill to restrict leave for election commission staff during election periods, citing a correlation between staff leave and mismanagement.

This is not the first time the election commission has faced scrutiny. Past controversies include the "basket voting" incident during the 2022 presidential election, where ballots for COVID-19 positive voters were transported in baskets, and the revelation of preferential hiring practices among senior officials. Ballot security has also been an issue, with dozens of ballots being taken outside the polling station during early voting for last year's presidential election.

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The commission's complacency must end. Even if the commission isn't audited 100% like other institutions, it should be subject to post-audit reviews when issues arise in voting and counting.