The main entrance gate of the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, remains firmly shut on the 7th. [Yonhap News]

Following an unprecedented shortage of ballots during the June 3rd local elections, the National Election Commission's "Fact-Finding Committee on the Ballot Shortage," composed mainly of external experts, will hold its first meeting at the Gwacheon Government Complex in Gyeonggi Province on the 9th, commencing its full-scale investigation.

The Fact-Finding Committee is an independent body established to identify the causes of the ballot shortage during the 9th National Simultaneous Local Elections and to determine accountability. It will operate for 10 days, concluding on the 19th.

The committee consists of six external members recommended by civic groups, legal professionals, the media, and academia, including Chairperson Cho Hyun-wook (former President of the Korean Women Lawyers Association).

Previously, the Fact-Finding Committee announced that it would investigate the overall supply and demand management, including the printing and allocation of ballots, as well as examine the appropriateness of polling station operations, initial responses, and reporting systems after the incident occurred.