Cheong Wa Dae said on the 4th that President Lee Jae-myung's order to prepare countermeasures and identify responsibility for the "ballot paper shortage incident" "does not mean direct sanctions by the administration against the National Election Commission." There are no plans for job inspections or punishment of those responsible at the level of Cheong Wa Dae or the government, and the meaning is that the National Election Commission, an independent constitutional body, should prepare countermeasures through its own investigation. This is similar to the initial position that it is "an issue the National Election Commission should handle."
Kang Yu-jung, senior presidential spokesperson, notified the media in the afternoon of the results of the senior secretaries' meeting presided over by the president, saying, "President Lee said that harm to the people's suffrage must not happen again and that reliable countermeasures should be prepared promptly," but added that it was not an order for sanctions by the administration. "It means the National Election Commission should take all responsible measures so that suffrage is not shaken," she said, adding, "The National Election Commission should take this matter seriously and undertake thorough self-inspection and follow-up measures."
Earlier, at the senior secretaries' meeting that day, President Lee said, "Relevant agencies should use all the authority and responsibility the administration has to clearly reveal why the problem occurred, and, if there is something to be held accountable for, clearly hold it accountable." However, when asked what specific authority or method would be used to identify the cause, Kang, the senior spokesperson, said only, "You can take it as a request for the National Election Commission to take responsible measures," adding, "It is not a direct sanction by the administration."
On the 6·3 local election day the previous day, voting was suspended after ballot papers ran out at 14 polling stations in Seoul, including Songpa, Gangnam, Gwangjin, and Dongjak. Around 10:20 p.m., Cheong Wa Dae issued only a brief statement on the incident, saying it was "an issue the National Election Commission should handle." After that, backlash grew, including demands to halt the count and hold a revote. In response, at about 11:45 p.m., Cheong Wa Dae issued a media notice in the name of Kang, the senior spokesperson, stating, "As a constitutional institution that guarantees the people's suffrage, the National Election Commission should take responsible measures so that some local residents' exercise of voting rights and ballot counting management proceed without a hitch."