Ballot Shortages at Korean Polling Stations Spark Massive Protests for Re-election

(Central News Agency, Seoul, 12th, Comprehensive Foreign News) On the day of South Korea's local elections, Yoomi Lee headed to her polling place expecting a quick vote, only to find that ballots had run out, turning her trip into hours of waiting and a dispute with election officials.

According to Reuters, Lee said, "They should have prepared the right amount. They knew the (expected) number of voters."

Last week, ballot shortages at over 90 polling stations ignited public anger, leading to one of the largest political protests in South Korea since the 2024 martial law crisis.

Physical altercations broke out between voters and police, and conspiracy theories and allegations of election fraud ran rampant. The head of the election commission resigned, and President Lee Jae-myung has ordered an investigation, vowing a complete overhaul of the election process.

Reuters interviewed six voters from affected polling stations and more than a dozen protesters, revealing how an election the ruling party was expected to win easily instead erupted into a damaging controversy.

The turmoil also exposed how a series of decisions by the independent National Election Commission led to fewer ballots being printed this year than in previous years.

Within two days of the chaos, crowds began gathering daily outside a stadium in Seoul, sometimes reaching 40,000 people, demanding a new election.

While politicians are calling for a thorough investigation, a re-election could overturn the victories of President Lee's left-wing ruling Democratic Party and the conservative opposition People Power Party in several key districts.

Joan Cho, a professor at Wesleyan University who studies South Korea's democracy movement, noted, "If the government's response is perceived as inadequate or defensive, it could become a target of public criticism and undermine confidence in the system."

However, she added that if the Lee Jae-myung administration responds transparently and clearly explains the events, it could actually strengthen public confidence. (Editor: Chen Yuting) 1150612