Seoul: Olympic Park in southeastern Seoul's Songpa District has become a focal point of democratic activism. Tens of thousands of voters, around 40 percent of them millennials and Generation Z, have gathered there daily since Thursday, following the June 3 local elections, demanding a rerun of the Seoul mayoral election. Their collective action was triggered by a shortage of ballot papers at a polling station, forcing voters to wait in long lines and cast their ballots after the official voting deadline. Some returned home without voting, while others waited until as late as 10 p.m. to cast their ballots, four hours after the scheduled closing time, sparking widespread outrage.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the situation was further exacerbated when exit poll results were released at 6 p.m. by the three major broadcasting networks - KBS, SBS, and MBC - while voting was still underway in Songpa. This was a significant breach of election law, which prohibits the release of opinion poll results during the final week before Election Day to avoid influencing undecided and swing voters.
The National Election Commission (NEC) has faced intense scrutiny for its handling of the election. Critics argue that the commission failed to take adequate measures to inform broadcasters of the ongoing voting delays or request that exit poll results be withheld until after voting had concluded. As a result, the NEC has drawn criticism across party lines, not just from losing candidates and parties.
Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, chairman of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), criticized the NEC over the ballot shortages. During a press conference on Sunday, he argued that voters' rights had been severely compromised and called for a redo of the local elections. Jang also advocated for the abolition of early voting, citing an unspecified public opinion survey that reportedly showed nearly half of respondents lacked confidence in the system.
Some Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers also criticized the NEC. Rep. Choi Min-hee and Rep. Park Sun-won both called for a revote in the affected regions. President Lee Jae Myung expressed "deep regret" over the incident, describing it as an infringement on voters' rights. He called on the National Assembly to investigate the incident and directed prosecutors and police to conduct a joint probe.
Yoo Jeong-bok, mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City, raised concerns during a press conference on Sunday. Yoo lost to DPK candidate Park Chan-dae in the June 3 elections, with a notable pattern showing Yoo's strong performance on Election Day was offset by weaker results in early voting. Yoo pointed to an unusual result where identical early vote totals were recorded in two separate districts, raising questions about the integrity of the results. However, the NEC dismissed the claim, attributing it to coincidence rather than a tally error.
The NEC has faced previous controversies, including criticisms over cybersecurity vulnerabilities and ballot handling. The National Assembly is urged to conduct its own investigation into the NEC's actions and the broader electoral process to ensure accurate recording and reflection of citizens' votes. This crisis presents an opportunity to review and strengthen the nation's electoral system.