The Korean Government Employees' Union (KGEU) argued that the current structure of mobilizing local government officials for election administration should be changed in connection with the shortage of ballot papers in the 9th nationwide local elections held simultaneously (the June 3 local elections). It also said that if the system is not improved, it could refuse to carry out future election duties.
KGEU held a press conference on the morning of the 10th in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission and said, "The distorted structure in which the center holds authority while shifting key on-site election tasks and responsibility for mishaps onto local government officials is the core cause of the disaster."
KGEU is a government employees' labor union affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KTCU), launched in 2002. It has focused on key agendas such as improving public servants' working conditions and treatment, responding to malicious civil complaints, and improving conditions for lower-grade officials. It is currently composed of 21 headquarters and about 250 branches.
KGEU Chairperson Lee Hae-jun said that day, "Within a flawed election system, we public servant workers can no longer take part in election duties." Lee said KGEU had for years called for improvements to the election system, but the National Election Commission ignored them, citing manpower and budget issues.
KGEU viewed the current ballot paper shortage not as a simple on-site mistake but as a problem with the election administration structure. It said that although the National Election Commission holds the authority for election management, it has assigned a large portion of the practical work—such as setting up polling stations, working on campaign materials, checking equipment, and securing on-site personnel—to local public officials, and when incidents occur, the on-site officials bear the responsibility.
Kim Byeong-cheol, head of the Songpa-gu branch of KGEU's Seoul regional headquarters, said, "We set up polling stations, found people, pulled all-nighters working on campaign materials, checked equipment, and ran mock tests—every election we did everything with a sense of duty as human shields and targets of abuse on the battlefield of elections," adding, "While all incidents and responsibility at the scene were dumped on local public officials and public servants were blamed, the National Election Commission hid in the back."
KGEU also criticized the National Election Commission for focusing on outward measures such as installing closed-circuit (CC)TVs at polling and counting stations in response to allegations of election fraud, while neglecting basic tasks like calculating the number of voters by precinct. It said the commission was absorbed in performative responses and abandoned the fundamental duties that must be handled at the election site.
The union also called for the immediate suspension of the current proxy task system. The proxy task system refers to a structure in which local government officials carry out part of the on-site election work that should be handled by the National Election Commission. KGEU argued that, as a rule, the National Election Commission should take responsibility for and carry out election duties, and that for tasks that inevitably must be handled by external personnel or institutions, the scope and accountability should be clearly defined by law.
KGEU demanded a reorganization of the National Election Commission. The union said, "This incident is the result of the National Election Commission denying its reason for existence and resting on convention," and called for sweeping reform at the level of dismantling and reestablishing the organization.
Park Bok-hwan, deputy head of KGEU's Seoul regional headquarters, said, "The National Election Commission is currently delegating roles and proxying tasks to local governments, especially staff at neighborhood community centers," adding, "From now on, the National Election Commission should directly supervise, manage, and operate elections." Park added, "If local public officials are mobilized again for the next election, we will have no choice but to refuse election duties."