PPP floor leader calls for parliamentary probe into shortage of ballots in local elections

Rep. Song Eon-seog, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party, left, and other lawmakers hold up a sign demanding a probe into a shortage of ballot papers during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

The floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday called for a parliamentary investigation into an unprecedented shortage of ballot papers in this week's local elections.

Rep. Song Eon-seog made the remarks during an emergency general meeting of PPP lawmakers at the National Assembly, after the shortage at more than a dozen polling stations in Seoul on Wednesday prompted the temporary suspension of voting. Some voters left without casting their ballots after a long wait.

The incident sparked public outrage, with angry protesters blocking the entrance to one of the polling stations to prevent election officials from removing the ballot boxes.

"This is exactly the kind of case that requires a special counsel probe," Rep. Song said, calling for the parliamentary probe.

After the controversy surfaced Wednesday night, the PPP had initially demanded the National Election Commission (NEC) immediately suspend vote counting and hold a revote.

PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok and party officials visited the NEC on Wednesday to file an official complaint.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) took aim at the PPP for dropping its calls for a revote.

"The PPP demanded a suspension of vote counting and called for a revote when it expected the outcome to be unfavorable, but it swept such calls under the rug once the vote count turned to its favor," Rep. Jo Seoung-lae, DPK secretary general and head of the party election campaign committee, said.

The PPP won four out of the 16 key mayoral and gubernatorial seats up for grabs in the elections, including the key battleground of Seoul, while the DPK swept 12 seats.

Incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the PPP won his fifth term, overturning an initial exit poll that projected a win for DPK candidate Chong Won-o.

The NEC issued an apology but dismissed the possibility of a reelection, saying the incident does not constitute grounds for postponing the election or conducting a new vote under the election law.