Parties push for constitutional reform of election agency

Protesters rally around SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul's southeastern Jamsil area, Friday, calling for the reform of the National Election Commission over ballot shortages during the June 3 local elections. Yonhap

Korea's two major parties are both pushing for the reform of the National Election Commission (NEC) following widespread backlash over ballot shortages in the June 3 local elections.

Although there is general consensus among the public for an overhaul of the agency, the move faces challenges as the rival parties differ on how to reform it, with any change to the independent body requiring a constitutional amendment, which would need to pass in a national referendum.

The shortages, which led to the suspension of voting at dozens of polling stations, drew fierce criticism for infringing on voting rights.

The incident exposed a broader accountability gap. While constitutional protections were designed to guarantee the NEC's independence, Constitutional Court rulings blocking external audits have instead left the watchdog operating with a lack of oversight, fostering a culture of lax internal management.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) put emphasis on ramping up external checks and balances as well as boosting the watchdog's expertise by overhauling the current system.

Rep. Lee Ju-hee, floor spokesperson for the DPK, said in a statement Saturday that the DPK is “handling the issue by being open to all options, including constitutional reform, a thorough investigation into the matter and holding those responsible accountable.”

The party formed a task force on Wednesday to build internal consensus and gather public input. At its first meeting, members floated the idea of appointing a full-time NEC chief. Under the current system, a sitting Supreme Court justice is included in the agency's nine-member panel and usually serves concurrently as NEC chairperson. The current framework also mandates only one standing commissioner out of the nine, so increasing the number of standing commissioners is also emerging as a reform option.

That structure was originally designed to minimize full-time appointments. However, critics say the arrangement has left commissioners insufficiently engaged with the agency's day-to-day operations, contributing to weak oversight.

Within the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), opinions are divided. Some echo the DPK's approaches of strengthening oversight over the agency while some hardliners are calling for the dissolution of the election body.

PPP Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok said in a Facebook post, "The NEC is the symbol of incompetence, irresponsibility, insensitivity and recklessness. Disbanding it is the only solution."

Rep. Park Sung-hoon, senior spokesperson of the PPP, told reporters Saturday that “many people are stressing the need to disband the NEC ... the issue must be discussed in tandem with a constitutional amendment.”

“The PPP has also stressed the need for constitutional reform, but we opposed a hasty amendment driven by certain political motives. As the local elections are over, we will gather (opinions) from different backgrounds and work together to transform the NEC into the agency the public wants," Park said, adding that the party will announce its position following a general meeting of lawmakers.

The PPP is also planning to launch its own legal task force to pursue constitutional amendments, with lawmaker Rep. Na Kyung-won speculated to lead the effort.

Separately, 10 PPP lawmakers led by Rep. Yu Yong-weon introduced a bill to amend the Election Commission Act. The bill seeks to require the NEC to submit an annual audit report to the National Assembly ahead of every regular Assembly session and hire an inspector.

"The NEC should not be in a blind spot of oversight simply because it is a constitutional institution," Yu said Sunday.