“Can you still not grasp the severity of this situation, even after seeing young people struggling day and night at Olympic Park for over a month?” ⒸHanmi Ilbo

The protest at Olympic Park, triggered by the ballot paper shortage during the June 3rd local elections, has now exceeded one month.

The National Assembly’s Special Investigation Committee, which began its activities on June 23, conducted an on-site inspection of the handball stadium vote-counting center on July 2. The results revealed that CCTV cameras were covering blind spots, and the iron doors of the storage room did not even have proper locks. These findings alone provide sufficient grounds for a special counsel investigation.

However, while the ruling party claims to support a special counsel, it is proposing that the special prosecutor be appointed by a third party, such as the Korean Bar Association or the Supreme Court. It seems they are banking on the fact that acting NEC Chairperson Wi Chul-hwan is a former president of the Korean Bar Association, and they appear to believe the Supreme Court is on their side.

This is the same group that, when they were in the opposition, argued that it was essential for the special counsel to be appointed by the opposition party to ensure a fair investigation. How can they justify demanding a third-party recommendation now that their position has changed?

Do you still not grasp the severity of this situation?

Furthermore, the special counsel bill draft proposed by the ruling party limits the scope of the investigation to the ballot paper shortage and internal NEC issues.

It is self-evident that to resolve public suspicion, this opportunity must be used to investigate all election-related duties performed by the NEC to date. Is the ruling party so afraid of the truth coming to light? If not, why would they seek to restrict the scope of the investigation?

Do you still not grasp the severity of this situation?

We must launch a proper special counsel investigation as soon as possible, allowing IT experts to examine the NEC’s main servers and communication networks, investigate potential issues with electronic counting machines, and thoroughly dig into every concern raised by the public.

The only way to resolve this crisis is to use the findings of the special counsel to dissolve the NEC, abolish early voting, and conduct re-elections based on the principles of single-day in-person voting and manual counting.

The special counsel must first conduct a public verification of the ballot boxes at the handball stadium vote-counting center. I believe this alone will uncover a significant portion of the truth.

If the special counsel conducts a public verification of the ballot boxes, including the number of ballots, counting records, and remaining papers, alongside representatives of citizens and the youth, much of what is being hidden behind anxious maneuvering will be revealed.

More than half of the public is demanding a thorough investigation, and citizens who have realized that missing this opportunity will allow certain factions to remain in power permanently by manipulating the NEC will continue to struggle until the end.

Any group that blocks the search for the truth and the punishment of those responsible through a special counsel is, in fact, a criminal organization. Any group that believes they can maintain power by simply sweeping this situation under the rug is a criminal organization.

I urge you to stop forcing the young people at Olympic Park to endure further hardship and to launch a special counsel led by the opposition with no restrictions on the scope of the investigation.

There is an old saying: "What you don't fix with a small hoe will eventually require a shovel you cannot even lift." The ruling party must face the fact that trying to cover up this situation with petty tricks could mark the end of their regime. Do not even think about glossing over this.

No matter how much the so-called legacy media keeps parroting that "the election process just had some minor flaws," the public is already well past the stage of accepting such claims at face value. Do not treat the public so lightly.

Can you still not grasp the severity of this situation, even after seeing young people struggling day and night at Olympic Park for over a month?

Setting aside partisan interests, what political party could possibly object to establishing a transparent and fair election system that guarantees the right to vote?

If the ruling and opposition parties join forces now to launch a proper special counsel, uncover the truth, punish those responsible, and establish a sound election system, we can shed the disgrace of being a country with an "opaque election system."

I continue to struggle today for a transparent election system, sustained by the single faith that God will not abandon this country.

Do the NEC and the ruling party still not grasp the severity of this situation?

◆ Dr. Kim Jae-soo

Ph.D. in Information Science, current Chairman of the National Foundation Light. Formerly served as Head of the Agency for Defense Development, Adjunct Professor at Kyonggi University, Co-Representative of the National Movement Headquarters for the Abolition of Special Privileges, and 5th/6th President of the Republic of Korea ROTC Patriotic Comrades Association.