Prosecutors said they will form a joint investigation headquarters with police to clarify allegations related to the shortage of ballot papers in the June 3 nationwide local elections.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said in a media notice on the 7th, "We will swiftly form a joint investigation headquarters between prosecutors and police regarding the matter in which the exercise of citizens' suffrage was hindered during the June 3 local elections," adding, "Through close cooperation with police, we will conduct an efficient investigation and strictly clarify public suspicions related to this situation."
President Lee Jae-myung also said that day regarding the situation, "The incident itself is hard to accept, and the subsequent response and explanation to the public were also insufficient," adding, "Considering the gravity of the matter, we will pursue every possible measure at the administrative level." He then ordered the formation of a joint investigation headquarters involving prosecutors and police to make accountability clear and thoroughly uncover the full picture of the case.
On the 3rd, the main voting day of the local elections, a shortage of ballot papers occurred at 50 polling stations nationwide, including Songpa District in Seoul. As a result, some citizens were unable to vote.
By region, the polling stations that lacked ballot papers were 33 in Seoul, 6 in Incheon, 4 in Daegu, 3 in Busan, and 2 in Ulsan. Of these, 22 saw voting suspended or delays.
The National Election Commission explained, "As early voting rates have risen in recent elections, there has been a tendency for an excessive number of ballot papers to remain, so there was a need to reduce printing." For that reason, it said presidential and general elections had ballot papers printed down to a minimum of 60% of the number of voters, and local elections down to 50%.
In early voting for the 2022 presidential election, the National Election Commission was criticized for "basket voting" after marked ballot papers were placed in baskets and shopping bags instead of into ballot boxes.