Han Byeong-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 7th and said, "The shortage of ballot papers is not something that can be dismissed as mere poor management or an administrative mistake," adding, "On the 8th, we will submit a request for a parliamentary investigation and set up an in-house task force to improve the electoral system to draw up National Election Commission reforms that the public can accept."
Han, the floor leader, called the situation "a grave incident that must never occur in a democracy," saying, "A devastating event that shakes the very foundation of 'K-democracy' happened at polling places."
Han, the floor leader, also said the status of the National Election Commission, a constitutional body not subject to audits by administrative agencies, should be revisited. He said, "We must excise the diseased part this time," adding, "We will comprehensively review relevant laws, including the Public Official Election Act and the National Election Commission Act, and if checks and oversight do not function properly, we will ensure it is done even through a constitutional amendment."
Han, the floor leader, said the in-house task force to improve the electoral system will draw up reform plans for the National Election Commission with constitutional amendment in mind, not merely legal revisions. He said, "If the opposition shares a consensus on a constitutional amendment, it can be done," adding, "How was Korea's democracy achieved? An infringement of the people's suffrage has occurred, and it is impossible to contain the anger."
However, Han, the floor leader, kept his distance from the ongoing protest at Olympic Park. He said, "We will thoroughly dig into the issues raised by listening to the protesters' opinions through a parliamentary investigation," but added, "There are no plans to visit the site."
On People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok's call for a full rerun of the election, he said, "It is for the court to decide according to the law and principles," adding, "A prompt decision by the court is needed."
Democratic Party figures also criticized Jang's push for a full rerun as a "political show." Chief spokesperson Kang Jun-hyun, targeting Jang at a press briefing that morning, said, "He has seized on the ballot-paper shortage to talk about the end of the administration," adding, "Stop the political show aimed at shoring up your immediate political standing."
Deputy chief for floor operations Cheon Jun-ho also said, "(Jang) always toys with his own position and turns every incident into a political escape hatch, and that is exactly how this looks," adding, "We must rebuild the National Election Commission, but we must not use that as a pretext to shake the foundations of democracy."