Rome: President Lee Jae Myung said Sunday that he accepts complaints about voting rights infringement over the unprecedented shortage of ballots in the recent local elections, but rejected claims of election fraud, arguing such claims skew the true nature of the issue. Lee made the remarks during a meeting with his top aides held remotely from Rome, where he is visiting as part of a broader European trip.

According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee stated, "I acknowledge and accept all of our people's fair complaints about voting rights infringement." He expressed his surprise and dismay at the incident, emphasizing the significance of voting as a foundational aspect of democracy. The shortage of ballot papers in the June 3 local elections reportedly forced some voters to leave without casting their ballots.

The National Election Commission has acknowledged that more than two dozen polling stations nationwide had experienced temporary suspension of voting due to ballot shortages. In response to the incident, a group of people have been staging protest rallies at a vote counting station in eastern Seoul for 10 consecutive days. At one point, these protests attracted over 15,000 people, according to unofficial police estimates. The protesters have demanded a re-run of the elections, with some suggesting the ballot shortages were part of a broad election fraud scheme.

President Lee, however, dismissed these fraud claims, labeling them as a distortion of the issue and an anti-social crime. He stressed that those who perpetuate such claims must be held accountable, underscoring the importance of addressing the real issues at hand rather than getting sidetracked by unfounded allegations.