Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party, who chairs the National Assembly's 'Special Committee on Fact-Finding Regarding the Infringement of Voting Rights, such as the Ballot Shortage during the 9th Nationwide Simultaneous Local Elections, and Electoral Management Reform,' heads to the ballot counting station at the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, for an on-site inspection on the 2nd. [Yonhap News] 

Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party, chairperson of the National Assembly Special Committee on the June 3 local election ballot shortage, announced on the 5th that he plans to push for a public recount of the 2.47 million ballots remaining at the counting station in the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

During a press briefing at the National Assembly that day, Rep. Yoon stated, "It is reported that the cost of renting (the gymnasium from the National Election Commission) will reach approximately 200 million won by July 10." He added, "Therefore, we are requesting that the National Election Commission openly re-verify the 2.47 million votes to prove that there were no errors in the voting and counting process."

He further noted, "We expect it to cost about 50 million won to mobilize people for the recount," adding, "Rather than continuing to incur rental costs, I believe a precise, one-time recount would also provide the justification for moving those (sealed ballot boxes)."

Rep. Yoon stated that he has requested the ruling and opposition party secretaries to discuss this matter within the week.

Rep. Yoon conveyed, "I have requested consultations between the ruling and opposition secretaries, and I expect a conclusion soon," adding, "During the National Election Commission's agency report last week, Acting Secretary-General Kang Dong-wan also expressed his approval and willingness (to conduct the recount)."

He announced that the on-site inspection of the National Election Commission and the Seoul City Election Commission scheduled for the 7th will focus on the decision-making process regarding the reduction of the ballot printing ratio and the command and reporting system on the day of the main election.

Rep. Yoon said, "There was a plenary meeting of the National Election Commission led by then-chairperson Noh Tae-ak last November. Only two people remember the contents specified in the 40-page report," adding, "We will examine issues such as why matters concerning ballots were handled through internal delegation rules rather than being established as official National Election Commission regulations."

Regarding the assertion by Han Byung-do, the acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who called for a "third-party recommendation" for a special prosecutor to investigate the Election Commission, Rep. Yoon emphasized, "Wouldn't it be much more helpful for an opposition-recommended figure to get to the substantive truth of the ballot shortage?"

Rep. Yoon further stressed, "Only through a special prosecutor can we put the entire Election Commission on the operating table, addressing not only the ballot shortage but also issues regarding waste of budget, private contracts, personnel administration, and hiring irregularities."