Seoul: A court on Tuesday issued an order to preserve evidence on ballot boxes related to the unprecedented shortage of ballot papers that disrupted voting in parts of Seoul during last week's local elections.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Eastern District Court accepted a petition filed by Kim Jung-chul, the supreme council member of the minor Reform Party, to ensure the preservation of boxes and other items related to the ballot shortage. This decision aims to safeguard the integrity of the election process and address concerns from various stakeholders.

A total of four items from the No. 2 polling station in the Jamsil 7 neighborhood, Songpa Ward, will be placed under the order. These include the ballot boxes and surveillance camera footage of the polling station, as confirmed by the court. The measures are intended to facilitate a thorough investigation into the causes and impact of the ballot shortages.

However, the court rejected other petitions to preserve evidence, specifically those concerning ballot boxes that had been moved to another counting center. This selective acceptance of petitions highlights the court's focus on specific evidential materials deemed crucial for the investigation.

Ballot shortages were reported at more than a dozen polling stations in Seoul during the local elections, predominantly in Songpa Ward of southern Seoul. This issue prompted a temporary suspension of voting in the local elections, raising significant concerns about the management of the electoral process.

Protestors have been rallying outside a vote-counting facility in Seoul for the fifth day, demanding a rerun of last week's local elections. Their actions underscore the ongoing public dissatisfaction and demand for transparency and accountability in the electoral proceedings.