Only 2 of 9 election commissioners came to work as ballot shortages hit polling stations, lawmaker finds

Only two of the National Election Commission's nine commissioners were present at headquarters on the day of the local elections, even as ballot shortages and other disruptions unfolded across the country.

On June 3, only then-NEC Chairperson Roh Tae-ak and standing commissioner We Chul-whan reported to the agency's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, according to information submitted by the NEC to Rep. Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party (PPP) on Monday.

The NEC’s seven nonstanding commissioners did not enter the office that day, according to building records. The commissioners’ most recent visit had been two days earlier, when they attended the commission's 10th plenary meeting on June 1.

A similar pattern emerged for the Seoul election commission. Three of its eight commissioners did not come to work on election day. Only five members, such as Chairman Oh Min-seok and the standing commissioner, worked either in the office or the vote-counting situation room.

The NEC argued that the absence of nonstanding commissioners was consistent with its long-standing practice.

“Nonstanding commissioners report to work during presidential and National Assembly elections because it is the NEC's responsibility to formally determine the winner," an NEC official said. "In local elections, however, there’s not much for the NEC to determine, so [the commissioners] typically do not come to work.”

Criticism has mounted over the commissioners' absence as voting disruptions surfaced across the country, especially ballot shortages in multiple areas on election day.

The shortages affected voting at 26 polling stations nationwide, especially in Songpa District, southern Seoul, during the local elections, according to the NEC on June 8.

The incidents have fueled questions about the NEC's ability to respond to crises and who should be held accountable when problems arise. Calls for organizational and institutional reforms have also gained momentum.

Rep. Park Seong-min of the PPP has proposed amendments to the Election Commission Act that would require the Supreme Court justice serving concurrently as NEC chair to step down from the NEC post upon the end of their term on the bench of six years.

Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the PPP is pushing legislation that would establish an inspector general's office within the NEC and require the agency to submit annual audit reports to the National Assembly.

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has also signaled support for reform.

Rep. Kim Young-bae, deputy head of the DP electoral reform task force, argued that the NEC chairmanship should be converted into a full-time position from its current nonstanding position. He also pushed for an increase in the number of standing commissioners.

Kim is also pushing for constitutional amendments that would allow the state-run Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea to audit the election agency, as the commission is exempt from such inspections due to its status as an independent constitutional body.

However, a series of controversies — including hiring irregularities, election management failures and ballot shortages — has fueled growing calls both inside and outside political circles for sweeping reforms to the agency's operations.

Meanwhile, a protest demanding a revote of the June 3 local elections due to ballot shortages entered its 11th day on Monday at the Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Songpa District.

BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]