"Government will humbly heed the will of the people expressed in the local elections"

President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a senior secretaries meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a senior secretaries meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung expressed "deep regret" Thursday over a ballot shortage during the 9th National Simultaneous Local Elections, saying it was "deeply regrettable that such an inexplicable lapse occurred in election management, which must be more thorough than anything else in a democratic republic."

Lee made the remarks while presiding over a senior secretaries meeting at Cheong Wa Dae that afternoon. He said all government agencies have "an obligation to make every preparation so that there is not the slightest gap in the process by which the people exercise their sacred right to political participation." It was his first public message following the local elections. He wore a necktie mixing white, red and blue — colors symbolizing unity — and presided over the meeting in a notably composed manner.

Lee opened by congratulating those who won their races and offering words of consolation to those who fell short. He then said that "regrettably, residents in some parts of Seoul on Wednesday experienced significant confusion and inconvenience due to a shortage of ballots."

He directed relevant agencies to "use all the authority and responsibility the administration possesses to clearly establish why the problem occurred, and to hold those accountable where accountability is warranted."

He also called on them to "swiftly put in place credible and appropriate measures to ensure that the people's right to political participation is never infringed upon, even in the slightest."

Lee also signaled his acceptance of the local election results and his intention to pursue national unity.

"Regardless of how competitive the campaign was, the ruling and opposition parties are all partners who represent the sovereign people and must protect their lives and forge a better tomorrow for the nation," he said. He urged the political community to "join forces for the substantive improvement of people's livelihoods, balanced regional development, and national unity — as the sovereign people have commanded."

"The government will also humbly heed the will of our people as expressed in the local elections, and actively cooperate with newly elected local governments regardless of party affiliation," he said, adding that it would "devote every effort to advancing the lives of all citizens and the development of the Republic of Korea."

Lee also noted that Thursday marked the start of the second year of his "government of popular sovereignty," calling on all public officials to "lace up their shoes once more and make every effort to double the pace of state affairs."


moone@heraldcorp.com