SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - Heo Chul-hoon, secretary-general of South Korea's National Election Commission, issued a public apology on Wednesday evening after several polling stations ran out of ballot papers during local elections.
Speaking at the commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Heo said he takes full responsibility for the oversight. He said the commission deeply apologizes for causing great confusion and concern, acknowledging that the incident inconvenienced voters and damaged public trust.
"We will accurately identify the causes and problems of the ballot shortages at some polling stations as soon as the counting is over and prepare measures to prevent a recurrence," Heo said.
The commission transported extra ballots to affected sites immediately after noticing the shortage. Officials also instructed staff to ensure citizens who were already waiting in line could cast their votes normally even after the scheduled closing time.
The supply issues occurred earlier in the afternoon at polling stations in major Seoul districts, including Gangnam, Gwangjin, and Songpa, forcing voters to wait for extended periods. Meanwhile, National Election Commission Chairperson Roh Tae-ak has not issued any statement yet.
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