Noh Tae-ak, chairperson of the National Election Commission, urged voter participation on the 2nd, a day before the June 3 presidential election, saying, "Let's create a Korea that unites through voting."
In a public statement released in the morning, Chairperson Noh said, "This election is crucial for moving beyond conflict and confrontation to a Korea of harmony and hope," urging people to "exercise your valuable vote."
Noh noted, "There was a concern that this election, held over a relatively short period, might have left insufficient time for policy competition between candidates or for voters to scrutinize the candidates." He added, "Even today, I hope you will review the candidates' policies and qualities once more to make a wise choice tomorrow."
Chairperson Noh further stated, "Not only should the parties and candidates who fiercely competed to win the people's hearts but also the public who wholeheartedly supported the candidates respect and accept the election results."
Particularly during this early voting process, the National Election Commission faced criticism for 'mismanagement.' On the first day of early voting, there was controversy over 'ballot paper removal' when the line of voters with ballot papers extended outside the polling station, prompting police to investigate cases of duplicate voting by election officials.
Amid criticism that management weaknesses persisted despite experiencing the so-called 'basket voting' controversy in the last presidential election, Chairperson Noh issued a direct apology.
Chairperson Noh stated, "The National Election Commission prepared this election with top priority on ensuring the transparency of the election process and the credibility of the election results." Measures such as 24-hour live CCTV footage of early voting storage locations and ballot inspection policies, introduced during last year's general election, were implemented again.
Additionally, the chairperson explained that "the number of voters at each early voting station will be tallied and disclosed every hour, and a fair election observation group, comprising figures from various sectors, will directly observe critical election management sites, including early voting stations, election day polling stations, and counting stations."
He promised, "Once voting concludes, we will ensure each and every vote is counted accurately and without error so that the will of the people, the true sovereigns, is clearly reflected."
Chairperson Noh mentioned, "Elections are national events requiring substantial manpower, facilities, and adequate budgets," adding, "This election had the challenge of having to complete all preparations within a short 60-day period."
He continued, "Fortunately, with support at the pan-governmental level, we were able to prepare without major setbacks," and expressed "deep gratitude especially for the dedication and service of the local government officials handling the practical operations at voting and counting venues."