Supreme Court chief justice accepts election watchdog head's resignation amid ballot shortage controversy
Rho Tae-ak, chairman of the National Election Commission, bows his head during a press conference on ballot shortages in Wednesday's local elections at the commission's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Yonhap
The Supreme Court chief justice has accepted the resignation of the head of the country's election watchdog, sources said Monday, following an unprecedented shortage of ballot papers that disrupted voting in some areas of Seoul during last week's local elections.
According to the sources, Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae dismissed Roh Tae-ak, chairperson of the National Election Commission, from his post amid public backlash over the commission's poor handling of ballot distribution for June 3 local elections.
Roh offered to resign Friday, saying he feels "deeply responsible for the whole situation."
Ballot shortages were reported at more than a dozen polling stations in Seoul during the local elections, including in the southeastern districts of Songpa and Gangnam, prompting temporary suspensions of voting there.
Some voters reportedly left without casting their ballots after waiting in long lines.