Noh Tae-ak, then chairman of the National Election Commission, apologizes to the public over the ballot shortage at the NEC headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on June 5. [Yonhap]
Noh Tae-ak, then chairman of the National Election Commission, apologizes to the public over the ballot shortage at the NEC headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on June 5. [Yonhap]

Noh Tae-ak, former chairman of the National Election Commission, received his first report on the ballot shortage on the day of the June 3 local elections only 40 minutes before polls officially closed, it emerged Sunday.

According to a written response the NEC submitted to Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Geon-young, Noh received the first verbal report of the ballot shortage from a spokesperson at around 5:20 p.m. on June 3. Former Secretary General Heo Cheol-hun received his first verbal report from the public affairs director at around 5:10 p.m., while Deputy Secretary General Kang Dong-wan was briefed by a public affairs official at around 5:20 p.m.

The NEC also confirmed that its election situation room received a complaint call about a ballot shortage from the third polling station in Garak 2-dong, Songpa-gu, at around 4:25 p.m. on the day of the vote.

The NEC had previously stated that it first became aware of the ballot shortage at 5:08 p.m. that day.


ikson@heraldcorp.com