During the June 3 local elections, a total of 7,194 voting ballots were reported to be missing from 91 polling stations across the country. This figure is approximately 1.5 times higher than the initial estimate released by the Central Election Management Commission (CEMC).
On June 9, Representative Jeong Hee-yong of the People Power Party revealed data obtained from the CEMC, indicating that 7,194 ballots were insufficient on the day of the election at the 91 polling stations.
Previously, on June 5, the CEMC had reported a shortage of 4,726 ballots at 50 polling stations nationwide. The number increased significantly after further assessments were conducted.
Regionally, Seoul experienced the highest shortage, with 4,206 ballots missing. The polling station with the greatest deficit was the 7th polling station in Jamsil 4-dong, Songpa District, which reported a shortage of 436 ballots.
Following that, the 4th polling station in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam District, had a shortage of 383 ballots, the 4th polling station in Ganseok 1-dong, Namdong District, reported 306 missing ballots, the 6th polling station in Guui 3-dong, Gwangjin District, had 278 ballots missing, and the 6th polling station in Jangwi 1-dong, Seongbuk District, reported a shortage of 277 ballots.
Additionally, the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, which was blocked due to protests on election day, also reported a shortage of 179 ballots.
Voting was halted at 26 polling stations due to the ballot shortage, with interruptions lasting from a minimum of 4 minutes at the 4th polling station in Dogok 2-dong, Gangnam District, to a maximum of 105 minutes at the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 2-dong, Songpa District.
The shortest interruption occurred at the 4th polling station in Dogok 2-dong, where voting was paused for 4 minutes. In contrast, the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 2-dong experienced the longest disruption, lasting 105 minutes.
However, the CEMC noted that the exact duration of voting interruptions could not be confirmed for three polling stations: the 2nd polling station in Munjeong 2-dong, the 5th polling station in Jamsil 4-dong, and the 7th polling station in Jamsil 2-dong.
Representative Jeong stated, "The unprecedented shortage of voting ballots has infringed upon the public's right to participate in elections. The CEMC must be held accountable for its incompetence and irresponsibility." He further emphasized the need for a thorough investigation and preventive measures through special investigations, national inquiries, and revisions to relevant laws.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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