On the 5th, police broke through a blockade by patriotic citizens to transport ballot boxes. [Photo=Yonhap News]

Amid the shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections, calls are mounting across both ruling and opposition parties to reorganize the National Election Commission (NEC) and hold those responsible accountable.

Seoul Mayor-elect Oh Se-hoon criticized the "ballot shortage" that occurred at polling stations nationwide, including in Songpa-gu, stating on the 4th, "A thorough investigation into the root cause must be conducted, and it must be followed by strict accountability and fundamental improvements."

Mayor-elect Oh emphasized, "We must approach this with a mindset of complete, radical innovation, as if dismantling and rebuilding the NEC from scratch," adding, "In that sense, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety cannot escape responsibility. While it may appear as though the NEC is taking full responsibility, the outcome ultimately rests on the shoulders of the President."

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok addressed the June 3 local election ballot shortage on Facebook on the 5th, stating, "This is an intolerable incident."

Kim declared, "This is a grave challenge to K-democracy. I have ordered a thorough investigation into the truth of this incident using all available means, including criminal investigation, and will hold those responsible strictly accountable," adding, "If necessary, we must ensure a clear investigation and systemic reform, even if it requires a parliamentary investigation or a special counsel."

In a statement issued on the 5th, the National Association of Student Councils (NASC) urged, "The ballot shortage is a dereliction of duty by a constitutional institution that has infringed upon the suffrage of the people," adding, "They must clearly acknowledge their responsibility for violating national sovereignty, punish those responsible, and immediately reform the overall election management system."

The group continued, "The single vote we cast is a right built upon the sacrifices and courage of countless citizens and the actions of young people who stood on the streets and squares to protect democracy," stating, "In the name of student self-governance that has upheld democracy, we cannot remain silent."

Furthermore, the NASC emphasized, "What the NEC must reveal to the public is not merely the sequence of events, but the core reality of who is responsible for allowing the suffrage of the people to be shaken by the poor management of a constitutional institution."

Meanwhile, two ballot boxes from the Jamsil 7-dong No. 2 polling station in Seoul's Songpa-gu, where the ballot shortage occurred, were transported to a nearby counting station after a 35-hour blockade by patriotic citizens.

Reporter Lim Yo-hee