Kang Dong-wan, Acting Secretary-General of the National Election Commission (third from left), attends the second hearing of the 'Special Committee on Parliamentary Investigation into the Infringement of People's Suffrage, including the Ballot Shortage Incident in the 9th Nationwide Simultaneous Local Elections' held at the National Assembly on the 22nd, and is answering questions from lawmakers. [Photo=Yonhap News]

The mandate of the parliamentary special committee formed following the June 3 local election ballot shortage incident will be extended by 30 days until the end of August.

The ruling and opposition parties have also tentatively agreed to conduct a recount of ballots currently held at the counting station in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 18th of next month under the auspices of the special committee, and decided to consult on potential schedule adjustments based on the progress of the special prosecutor's investigation into the National Election Commission (NEC) if necessary. 

The special committee on the ballot shortage incident held a plenary meeting on the afternoon of the 30th and approved a motion that includes extending its activities—originally slated to conclude on the 1st of next month—by 30 days.

This follows an agreement between the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties.

The special committee tentatively agreed to hold a third additional hearing on the 10th of next month during the extension period and to conduct an on-site inspection for a ballot recount at the Songpa-gu counting station on the 18th. Furthermore, it decided to hold a plenary meeting on the 28th to adopt the parliamentary investigation progress report and vote on filing charges against witnesses who failed to appear or committed perjury.

However, regarding the schedule for the on-site recount inspection on the 18th, the committee left room for adjustment in connection with the special prosecutor's activities.

Rep. Seo Bum-soo, the executive secretary for the People Power Party, stated in a phone call with Yonhap News regarding the August 18 recount inspection schedule, "We have provisionally set a date for the public verification, but we have made it possible to adjust the date with some flexibility while monitoring the special prosecutor's situation." He added, "The plan is to have a public verification where the special prosecutor or assistant special prosecutors, along with observers from the ruling and opposition parties and the NEC, participate if they have been appointed by then."

In fact, at the special committee's plenary meeting that day, there was a divergence of opinion between the ruling and opposition parties over the schedule for the on-site recount inspection.

Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the People Power Party pointed out, "If we fix the (on-site recount inspection) within August, there could be conflicts with schedules such as the special prosecutor's investigation or various other variables."

However, Rep. Yoon Kun-young, the executive secretary for the Democratic Party, countered, "The agreement between the floor leaders was to extend the special committee for one month to conduct the recount within August." He added, "While we can make adjustments within August, moving it into September would violate the spirit of the agreement."

In response, the special committee chair, Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party, concluded the discussion by stating, "This is a draft proposal; although the on-site visit to locations like the Songpa-gu counting station is scheduled for August 18, it could flexibly be held at the end of August. We will proceed (with the approval) with the understanding that the public recount will be conducted in connection with the special prosecutor."

Meanwhile, the opposition party, the People Power Party, had been demanding a public recount in the presence of the soon-to-be-launched 'special prosecutor for the NEC,' while the Democratic Party had expressed a negative stance, advocating for a swift recount instead.