People Power Party co-election committee chairs Jang Dong-hyeok and Song Eon-seog, along with other co-chairs, watch broadcast exit poll results for the 9th nationwide local elections and the June 3 National Assembly by-elections at the party's election situation room in Yeouido on Wednesday. [National Assembly Press Corps]
People Power Party co-election committee chairs Jang Dong-hyeok and Song Eon-seog, along with other co-chairs, watch broadcast exit poll results for the 9th nationwide local elections and the June 3 National Assembly by-elections at the party's election situation room in Yeouido on Wednesday. [National Assembly Press Corps]

By Jung Seok-jun, The Herald Business

People Power Party co-election committee chair Song Eon-seog on Wednesday called on the National Election Commission to suspend vote counting and delay the Seoul election, saying a ballot shortage that temporarily halted voting across parts of the capital amounted to "a serious violation of voting rights and the right to political participation."

Song made the demand at a press conference at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, saying that at Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong, Seoul, election officials had tried to collect ballot boxes while citizens were still waiting to vote, triggering a standoff between residents and police.

"This kind of thing did not happen even in areas with far higher turnout," Song said. He added that under South Korea's budget framework, funds are already allocated to print ballots in excess of the registered voter count.

He said voters blocked from casting ballots for more than an hour would effectively be disenfranchised due to personal schedules, health or other individual circumstances. He also raised doubts about whether ballots rushed in from other locations had been properly handled.

Song said that with voting continuing past 6 p.m., it could not be ruled out that exit poll results broadcast at that hour might influence remaining voters. Dismissing the election commission's apology, he said the situation was "not a matter of inconvenience or hurt feelings for a few people, but a serious issue that gravely undermines the fairness of the election."

In pressing for a halt to counting and a delay of the election, Song cited a case in which a German court declared an entire election invalid and ordered a revote. The court had found that systemic mismanagement by election authorities obstructed voters and distorted the outcome.

He urged any voter who had been unable to cast a ballot due to the shortage to contact the PPP's election situation room at any time.


mp1256@heraldcorp.com