Minister Jung Sung-ho of the Ministry of Justice on the 10th said the National Election Commission, which caused the ballot paper shortage during the June 3 local elections, "must accept fundamental reforms tantamount to dismantlement."
The Minister criticized in a Facebook post that day, saying, "The ballot paper shortage by the election commission during the local election process is a grave problem that cannot be condoned."
The Minister said, "The suffrage the people hard-won was violated by the election commission's overall incompetence and dysfunction as a constitutional organ," adding, "The truth must be fully uncovered, and accountability must be strictly pursued."
He continued, "Its status as an independent constitutional organ must not become a shield for evasion," adding, "A National Assembly inquiry into state affairs should also begin promptly."
Regarding the demonstrations led mainly by people in their 20s and 30s at Olympic Park in Songpa District, Seoul, the Minister said they were "a justifiable anger over the infringement of suffrage." He added, "We should respond to the faith in democracy and the legitimate demands of the many 2030 youths and citizens who have gathered in the square with justifiable anger."
On the demonstrators, the Minister said, "Youths and citizens are proving for themselves how mature they are as sovereigns by choosing facts and reason, peace and order over hatred and delusion, standing up to a small group of election-fraud conspiracy theorists and extremist forces seeking to taint the square."
Prosecutors and police set up a joint investigation headquarters at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to investigate the ballot paper shortage in the June 3 local elections. The head of the headquarters is Kim Tae-hoon, the third deputy chief at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. The Minister said, "The Ministry of Justice will also do everything in its power to thoroughly determine the circumstances and responsibility for this incident, which damaged the people's suffrage."