Bundles of new banknotes captured on camera during the June 1, 2022 local elections (left). Brick-shaped ballots that appeared in the absentee pre-voting for the June 3, 2025 presidential election in Suji, Yongin. [Photos by Kkappukka & Lawyer Park Joo-hyun]

"Brick ballots" and "new banknote bundle ballots" are different names, but they both refer to stiff bundles of ballots, like stacks of new currency, that show no signs of being folded.

Those calling for an investigation into election fraud present these brick ballots as the most obvious evidence. This is because they have been found in excessively large quantities in too many locations.

In particular, Lee Sang-ro, a former MBC reporter famous for the investigative program 'Camera Rollout,' is actively engaged in a movement to expose election fraud, using these brick ballots as his signature evidence.

Under the motto of "Selection and Concentration," he is focusing on investigating new banknote bundle ballots found in the following three elections involving candidate Lee Jae-myung: ① the June 1, 2022 by-election for the National Assembly ② the April 10, 2024 National Assembly election ③ the June 3, 2025 presidential election.

① Brick ballots discovered at the Incheon Geyang-eul vote counting center, where candidate Lee Jae-myung ran in the 'June 1, 2022 National Assembly by-election.'

 ② Brick ballots discovered at the Incheon Geyang-eul vote counting center, where candidate Lee Jae-myung ran in the 'April 10, 2024 National Assembly election.'

③ Brick ballots from vote counting centers nationwide, where candidate Lee Jae-myung ran in the 'June 3, 2025 Presidential election.'

Regarding the brick ballots from these three locations, reporter Lee Sang-ro released a 'Certified Letter to Lee Jae-myung' demanding an explanation and recently filed a report with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) targeting the '15 Election Commissioners (Judges).'

Meanwhile, as allegations surrounding brick ballots persisted, the National Election Commission (NEC) mobilized a famous announcer to release a promotional video stating, "Unlike ordinary paper, ballot papers are made of a special material that has a function to return to its original state after being folded, to prevent paper jams during ballot sorting."

This led to the brick ballots becoming even more of a laughingstock, being discussed with terms like 'shape-losing paper,' 'restorative paper,' 'shape-memory ballots,' and 'shape-memory paper.'

Paper experts also testified, "The paper used for ballots is ordinary printing paper (Baishen paper), and there is no paper in the world with shape-memory functions that can completely erase signs of folding."

The NEC then abruptly deleted the shape-memory paper video and, this time, offered the excuse that "The stiffness of the ballots is a natural phenomenon that occurs when folded parts are straightened by roller pressure during passage through the ballot sorter, or when numerous ballots are stacked and pressed inside the ballot box."

This explanation also lacked credibility, creating a need for another explanation regarding the bundles of 'folded ballots' placed alongside the 'brick ballots.'

"Why do some have creases and others don't? Which ones are fake ballots?"

The NEC's inability to answer these questions, with the assertion that "That is the evidence of election fraud," is leading an increasing number of citizens to raise suspicions of election fraud.

The genuine ballots in the upper section are bent as they come out of the roll, and the bundled surface is uneven due to creases. The fake ballots in the lower section are straight without bending, and the bundled surface is neatly cut as if with a knife. [Photo by Park Joo-hyun's Facebook]

If being stiff like a bundle of new banknotes is real, does that mean ballots with creases are fake? [Photo by Park Joo-hyun's Facebook]

A bigger controversy arose with the subsequent appearance of "folded ballots in bundles."

Folded ballot bundles were discovered at a vote counting center in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, during the October 2024 Seoul Superintendent of Education election, and multiple bundles of folded ballots were found nationwide during the vote counting for the 21st presidential election in February 2025.

In response, lawyer Park Joo-hyun stated at the 'End of Election Fraud Debate' on February 27th, "(Because a large number of brick ballots, resembling bundles of new banknotes, were coming out in bulk), this time they instructed to fold the counterfeit ballots in half. However, as it was done manually, the manipulators were saying 'it's too difficult (with so many counterfeit ballots),' and the ones that were put in bundles of five were caught."

Regarding the brick ballots, reporter Lee Sang-ro said, "I sent a certified letter to Lee Jae-myung but received no reply," and on the 3rd, he wrote an 'Open Letter to Lee Jae-myung' again.

Under the title "You are not the real president. I urge you to make a decision," he stated, "Since you appeared on the central political stage, a large number of brick ballots have been openly brought into vote counting centers."

He added, "This letter may not be delivered to you by your aides. However, this letter will be made public on the internet to President Trump of the United States, Prime Minister Takaichi of Japan, the UN, and the EU. I urge you to make a decision."

After the broadcast of the election fraud end-of-debate program, one netizen claimed, "The NEC just needs to disclose the cost and supplier of the shape-memory paper, and explain why the NEC promotional material by announcer Oh Sang-jin was taken down. Then, they should open their servers to public scrutiny and undergo a clean audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection."

Reporter Lim Yo-hee