Jane Han is the North America editor for The Korea Times. Based in Seattle, she has covered business, culture and social issues across the United States for over 15 years. She previously worked at The Boston Globe.
Election watchdog rejects calls for revote over Seoul ballot shortages
People protest ballot shortages during the local elections outside the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Police blocked demonstrators from approaching the building. Yonhap
By Jane Han
The National Election Commission (NEC) on Thursday rejected calls for a revote over ballot shortages at several Seoul polling stations during Wednesday’s local elections, saying the incident does not constitute legal grounds for postponing the election or holding a new vote.
In a statement, the commission apologized for the disruption caused by the shortages but said vote counting could not be suspended and ballots cast at the affected polling stations must be included in the final tally.
"The ballot shortages that occurred at some polling stations do not constitute grounds for postponing the election or conducting a reelection under the Public Official Election Act," the commission said.
The statement came after the People Power Party called for a revote and demanded a halt to vote counting following ballot shortages at 14 polling stations in Seoul on Wednesday.
The commission acknowledged responsibility for the incident and pledged to investigate its cause after vote counting is completed.
"We deeply regret causing disappointment and concern to voters who visited polling stations to participate in the democratic process," it said. "We will thoroughly disclose the causes of the incident and measures to prevent a recurrence."