Former National Election Commission (NEC) Chairman Roh Tae-ak is speaking while attending the plenary session of the National Assembly's Special Committee on the Investigation of Infringement on People's Voting Rights, including the ballot shortage incident, and Reform of Election Management on the 23rd. [Yonhap News] 

The National Assembly's "Special Committee on the Investigation of Infringement on People's Voting Rights, including the June 3rd Local Election Ballot Shortage, and Reform of Election Management" has decided to summon 70 witnesses and 5 references, including Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong and Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency Yoo Jae-sung, for the second institutional report scheduled for the 1st of next month.

The special investigation committee resolved to issue attendance requests for these witnesses and references on the 23rd.

By institution, the committee selected 3 officials from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, including Minister Yoon, as witnesses to "investigate the truth behind the infringement on voting rights." Furthermore, it decided to summon 3 officials from the National Police Agency, including Acting Commissioner General Yoo, Commissioner Park Jung-bo of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and Lee Gwan-hyung, Chief of Security at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, along with 2 other officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, as witnesses regarding allegations such as police assault on citizens, ballot box transportation, and protests at Olympic Park.

Additionally, 30 officials from the National Election Commission (NEC), including Acting Chairman Wi Chul-hwan and former Chairman Roh Tae-ak (who were also selected as witnesses for the first institutional report), 8 officials from the Seoul City Election Commission, and 12 officials from the Songpa-gu Election Commission were also selected as witnesses.

Furthermore, 5 individuals, including Lee Hae-jun, Chairman of the Korean Government Employees' Union, were selected as references to grasp the situation of mobilizing local government officials for election duties.

Previously, the special committee had officially resolved to summon 44 people, including former NEC Chairman Roh Tae-ak, as witnesses and references regarding the June 3rd local election ballot shortage. The committee questioned former Chairman Roh, Acting Chairman Wi, 5 non-standing NEC commissioners, and former Seoul Election Commission Chairman Oh Min-seok (currently Chief Judge of the Seoul Central District Court) about the election management situation at that time.

The first institutional report to the NEC, conducted by the special committee on this day, began at 10:00 AM and concluded at 11:30 PM after two recesses.

During the briefing, 16 out of 43 witnesses were absent from the morning session; however, after fierce criticism from ruling and opposition lawmakers, Acting Chairman Wi Chul-hwan took action, leading to the afternoon appearance of key figures in the meeting room.

The 5 non-standing NEC commissioners, former Seoul Election Commission Chairman Oh Min-seok (current Chief Judge of the Seoul Central District Court), former Songpa-gu Election Commission Chairwoman Min So-young (current Senior Presiding Judge at the Seoul Eastern District Court), and Songpa-gu election commissioners were among the witnesses who appeared late.

Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties continued their intense criticism of the NEC's poor reporting and management system that led to the unprecedented ballot shortage, as well as the commission's lax management and discipline, including former Chairman Roh Tae-ak’s overseas business trips accompanied by his spouse.

In particular, the People Power Party launched a barrage of attacks on Acting Chairman Wi, who is known to be close to President Lee Jae-myung, and demanded his resignation while taking issue with his attitude during responses. In response, Democratic Party lawmakers protested, saying, "Refrain from using expressions that could escalate into political strife."

In their responses that day, former NEC Chairman Roh Tae-ak and the 5 non-standing commissioners who appeared late as witnesses agreed with the inquiries of Democratic Party lawmakers who emphasized the need for constitutional amendment.

Former Chairman Roh stated, "I believe that if a constitutional amendment is necessary, it should be done," and Acting Chairman Wi also said, "Shouldn't we at least have a 'one-point' constitutional amendment?" The 5 non-standing commissioners also commented that the need for a constitutional amendment was "worth considering" or that they "agree."

Regarding the demands for a re-election raised by some in the conservative opposition bloc surrounding the June 3rd local election, Acting Chairman Wi criticized them by saying, "Political circles should at least not demand a re-election. It is a truly irresponsible argument," but later withdrew his remark and apologized.

On this day, the NEC announced that it has decided to submit all relevant data to the Joint Investigation Headquarters of the Prosecution and Police, in response to the recommendation of the Fact-Finding Committee—which investigated the ballot shortage—to request investigations into 12 senior officials, including former Chairman Roh.

The People Power Party criticized the decision to only submit data instead of complying with the Fact-Finding Committee's recommendation to request an investigation, calling it a "self-exemption" (Rep. Seo Bum-soo).

The special committee is scheduled to receive the second institutional report on the 1st of next month. Reports will be received from the NEC, regional election commissions, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the National Police Agency, and an on-site investigation will be conducted on the 8th of the same month. Following this, the first hearing will be held on the 14th, and the second hearing on the 22nd.

The special committee also decided to form an "Expert Preliminary Investigation Team" to examine the structural problems of the NEC's organizational system and prepare comprehensive reform measures for the NEC.

The Democratic Party of Korea recommended Lim Ji-bong, a professor at Sogang University Law School, Jung Tae-ho, a professor emeritus at Kyung Hee University Law School, and Ha Sang-eung, a professor of political science and diplomacy at Sogang University, as preliminary investigation experts.

The main opposition party, the People Power Party, decided to recommend Moon Sang-bu, an advisor at the law firm Bae, Kim & Lee, Lee Hee-bum, standing representative of the Korea NGO Coalition, and Cha Jin-ah, a professor at Korea University Law School.

The Rebuilding Korea Party and the Reform Party, which are non-negotiating bodies, recommended Kim Hyun-sook, a research fellow at the Innovation Policy Institute, and Ryu Jong-yeol, co-representative of the National Situational Conference, respectively.

Once approved and appointed by the Speaker of the National Assembly, these experts will report specific plans for NEC reform to the special committee.