Final vote count completed for South Korean local elections after delayed ballot tally

Election officials completed the final vote count Friday for local elections held earlier this week. The tally included results from two ballot boxes that had been held at a Seoul polling station after protesters blocked their removal.

Ballot shortage and protest response Ballot shortages occurred at multiple polling stations in Seoul on June 3, including in Songpa and Gangnam wards. Voting was suspended temporarily at those locations, and some voters left without casting ballots.

Police later dispersed protesters at a Songpa Ward polling station and secured the ballot boxes containing around 2,000 ballots. Officials counted those ballots Friday at a central location.

Election outcome unchanged The final count did not significantly change the overall results. Incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party received 49.22 percent of the vote, defeating Chong Won-o of the Democratic Party by 1.15 percentage points, or 60,259 votes.