During the recent local elections on June 3, the student council at Chonnam National University, a symbolic site of the Gwangju Uprising, voiced concerns over a ballot shortage issue.
On June 7, a post was made on the anonymous student community platform Everytime by the president of the university's student council.
In the post, the student council president, identified as A, apologized to fellow students regarding the Election Commission's handling of the ballot shortage, stating, "I apologize to our fellow students. The infringement on voting rights is a serious and urgent matter, yet the student council's response was delayed."
A continued, "We intended to discuss this internally after observing other universities' responses, but we realized a quicker reaction was necessary. I believe the student council misjudged the situation."
The student council characterized the ballot shortage not merely as an administrative error but as a violation of voting rights. A declared, "With the resolution of the student assembly, we warn against the infringement of voting rights and condemn the Election Commission for failing to ensure these rights on behalf of all students." To address this, the student council announced it would convene a student assembly on June 9 at 4 p.m. in front of the Democracy Hall.
The student council emphasized, "The student assembly is the highest decision-making body at our university. If the assembly's resolution is passed, it will mark a new chapter in our history as we strive to uphold democracy."
Additionally, they stated, "We will ensure that the assembly takes place during a time when classes are not in session, allowing students to participate in democracy, and we will adequately prepare ballots to avoid shortages."
Chonnam National University is recognized for its pivotal role during the Gwangju Uprising in May 1980, when students were at the forefront of pro-democracy protests. The actions of the student council are seen as a reflection of the university's ongoing commitment to democratic values and voting rights.
Previously, major universities across the country, including Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University, Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, and KAIST, have also issued statements and posted notices addressing concerns over election management failures.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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