The National Election Commission will issue a public apology over the ballot paper shortage that occurred on the 3rd, the main voting day of the June 3 local elections, in some parts of Seoul.
The commission said at 9 p.m. that at the Gwacheon Government Complex it "plans to hold a public apology by the secretary-general regarding the ballot paper shortage and a briefing on site."
On this day, some polling stations in parts of Seoul reportedly ran short of ballot papers, causing voters who came to vote to wait or go back. Bae Hyun-jin, Seoul chapter chairperson of the People Power Party, said, "I received reports and confirmed that in Jamsil 2-dong and Munjeong 2-dong in Songpa-eul, my constituency, and other places, polling stations ran short of ballot papers, leading voters to wait or go back without voting," adding, "I confirmed that this unbelievable situation is in fact true."
Bae went on to say, "I immediately asked all district party chairpersons across Seoul to check for ballot paper shortages at their local polling stations, and it was determined that at the No. 6 polling station in Guui 3-dong, Gwangjin-gu, about 50 voters waited and then simply went back due to a ballot paper shortage."
Na Kyung-won, a People Power Party lawmaker, also wrote on social media (SNS), "We confirmed two polling stations with ballot paper shortages in Dongjak-gu," adding, "No. 7 polling station in Noryangjin 1-dong and another location are also said to be short of ballot papers."
The commission said that some polling stations ran short of the prepared ballot papers on this day. According to the commission, a shortage occurred at 12 polling stations in total across six dongs in three districts—Songpa, Gangnam, and Gwangjin—in Seoul.
Upon recognizing the shortage, the commission delivered additional ballot papers to the affected polling stations. It said that it then took steps to allow all voters who arrived before 6 p.m. to vote even after the official closing time.