Yoon Kun-young: NEC's 'ballot paper shortage' report stopped at section chief level, wasting 6 hours

South Korean lawmaker Yoon Kun-young has sharply criticized the National Election Commission's (NEC) internal reporting system, citing its failure to adequately address the ballot paper shortage during the recent local elections.

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The report was cut off at the section chief level.

During a parliamentary inquiry, Yoon, a member of the Democratic Party, revealed that the critical information about the ballot paper shortage did not reach the highest levels of the NEC. "The report was cut off at the section chief level," Yoon stated, indicating a significant breakdown in communication. He added that NEC Chairman Noh Tae-ak was only made aware of the situation after receiving a phone call from a journalist.

"A reporter called the public relations office after 5 p.m., saying 'There's a shortage of ballot papers. It's chaos.' Only then did the spokesperson report it to the chairman," Yoon explained. "The chairman and the secretary-general did not receive any reports through the normal reporting channels. They learned about the situation from a reporter's tip."

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A reporter called the public relations office after 5 p.m., saying 'There's a shortage of ballot papers. It's chaos.' Only then did the spokesperson report it to the chairman.

Yoon emphasized the severity of the communication failure, noting that reports of ballot paper shortages had been circulating since mid-morning. "We completely wasted six hours from 11:30 a.m. until the end of voting," he pointed out. "The situation reporting system wasn't functioning at all, the system collapsed, there was no manual, and it was literally a state of anomie."

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The chairman and the secretary-general did not receive any reports through the normal reporting channels. They learned about the situation from a reporter's tip.

The lawmaker also addressed the upcoming first institutional report from the NEC, where Chairman Noh Tae-ak is scheduled to appear as a witness. However, Yoon expressed concern that other key NEC officials, including the Seoul Election Commission chairman and the Songpa Election Commission chairman, along with non-standing members, have refused to attend. Yoon vowed to use all legal means to compel their attendance if they do not appear for the second report next week.

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We completely wasted six hours from 11:30 a.m. until the end of voting. The situation reporting system wasn't functioning at all, the system collapsed, there was no manual, and it was literally a state of anomie.