Ahn Chang-ho, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea [Yonhap]
Ahn Chang-ho, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea [Yonhap]

Ahn Chang-ho, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, on Tuesday called for a thorough investigation into the ballot shortage that disrupted the June 3 local elections, demanding a full review of the election management system and effective remedial measures.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Ahn said he expressed "deep concern over the inconvenience and confusion caused to citizens in exercising their right to vote."

He went on to say that "elections are the most fundamental democratic procedure through which the principle of popular sovereignty is realized," adding that the incident "not only affected citizens' smooth exercise of their voting rights but is also undermining public trust in the overall election management system."

Calling for a rigorous investigation into the ballot supply system and polling station operations, Ahn said he hoped the incident would "serve as an opportunity to create an election environment that is human rights-friendly and trusted by the public."

Joint investigative body launched to uncover truth

Meanwhile, a joint police-prosecutor investigative body is being established at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to determine what went wrong.

Kim Tae-hun, the third senior deputy prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, has been named to lead the body. Kim is regarded as a seasoned public security prosecutor, having previously served as head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's election investigation support division and chief of the office's public investigation third division.

Earlier, President Lee Jae Myung said June 7 on X, formerly Twitter, that he had "ordered the formation of a joint investigative body involving prosecutors and police to clearly establish accountability and thoroughly uncover the full picture of the incident."

A court also ordered the preservation of some ballot storage boxes related to the incident as evidence, according to legal sources.

The 51st Civil Division of the Seoul Eastern District Court, presided over by Judge Kim Ji-yeon, partially granted an evidence preservation request filed by Kim Jeong-cheol, a supreme council member of the Reform Party who had been a candidate for Seoul mayor, concerning ballot storage boxes and related materials.

The items subject to preservation include a ballot storage box labeled "1,900 printed ballots" kept at Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, along with its packaging. Also included is CCTV footage of the polling station and ballot box storage areas at 10 polling stations in Songpa-gu where the ballot shortage occurred, recorded from 8 a.m. on June 3 to 9 p.m. on June 5.

The court also ordered the preservation of group chat logs, messenger records and text message exchanges among National Election Commission staff during the ballot shortage, according to sources.

[단독] “버려진 대기표로 투표했다”…뒤죽박죽 대기인 투표 마감 [세상&]

[단독] “버려진 대기표로 투표했다”…뒤죽박죽 대기인 투표 마감 [세상&]

[헤럴드경제=김아린 기자] 6·3 지방선거 당시 서울 송파구·강남구 등 일부 투표소에서 투표용지 부족으로 유권자들이 투표하지 못하는 상황이 발생한 가운데, 대기자 연
https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/10767060

yul@heraldcorp.com