Jang Dong-hyeok visits Jamsil polling station and election commission offices; Reform Party raises possibility of by-election

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok meets with officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Friday. [Yonhap]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok meets with officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Friday. [Yonhap]

The People Power Party on Friday pressed its offensive over the unprecedented ballot shortage that marred the June 3 local elections, saying the resignation of National Election Commission Chairman Noh Tae-ak was not enough and demanding a parliamentary investigation and the appointment of a special prosecutor.

The PPP had already proposed an emergency parliamentary investigation into the National Election Commission at a party caucus the previous day.

Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok visited a series of sites Friday to press his objections: the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, where a "two-night, three-day lockdown" incident unfolded; the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission in Jongno-gu; and the central National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon.

He also posted on Facebook, saying he "strongly demands the swift launch of a parliamentary investigation and the pursuit of a special prosecutor."

Chief Spokesperson Park Sung-hoon issued a statement Friday afternoon after Chairman Noh announced his intention to resign, saying the resignation "must be a starting point for establishing accountability, not an endpoint."

"If they intend to wrap this up with the resignation of a single election commission chairman, that is a blatant act of scapegoating and a betrayal of the public," Park said. "Given that an almost unbelievable ballot shortage occurred, the government and the election commission must make every step of the process transparent and submit to a thorough investigation."

He added that "a parliamentary investigation at the National Assembly level, as well as the introduction of a special prosecutor, must be considered."

Rep. Joo Jin-woo, who accompanied Jang on his visit to the election commission, separately filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Friday, accusing Chairman Noh and NEC Secretary General Heo Cheol-hun of dereliction of duty and abuse of authority.

Rep. Na Kyung-won had planned to deliver a floor speech at the National Assembly calling for a parliamentary investigation and a special prosecutor, but said the Democratic Party blocked the agreement and newly elected Assembly Speaker Jo Jeong-sik refused her request to speak. She held a press conference to express what she called "serious regret."

"At this moment when the foundations of democracy have crumbled, the Assembly's foremost duty is to uncover the truth," Na said. "The Democratic Party and the Assembly speaker must immediately agree to and cooperate with a parliamentary investigation into the election commission's mismanagement and excessive use of force. Ruling and opposition parties must together pursue a special prosecutor."

Rep. Kim Jae-seop also posted on Facebook, arguing that "rather than simply examining grounds for an election nullification lawsuit, the cause must be clearly established through a special prosecutor." He also criticized President Lee Jae-myung, asking why he had "suddenly gone silent" over what Kim called a crisis rivaling a constitutional emergency.

The Reform Party joined the fray, going so far as to raise the possibility of a by-election.

Party leader Lee Jun-seok wrote on Facebook that "if it was intentional, people must be held accountable; if it was a systemic failure, the organization's continued existence must be addressed." He said the ruling party "must accept a parliamentary investigation immediately," warning that refusal could cause demands for a special prosecutor to "explode."

He added that "the opposition should not hesitate and must make its position clear, keeping the possibility of a by-election in mind," and that "if the ruling party does not agree to a parliamentary investigation by Friday, the opposition must escalate its demand to a special prosecutor."


mokiya@heraldcorp.com