National Assembly Launches Probe Into Local Election Ballot Shortages
Both ruling and opposition parties submitted requests for a parliamentary investigation into ballot shortages at polling stations during last week's local elections. The National Assembly began formal procedures on Thursday to form a special committee examining the National Election Commission's handling of the vote.
YonhapThe National Assembly on Thursday launched formal procedures for a potential parliamentary investigation into ballot shortages reported during last week's local elections. Requests for the probe were submitted separately by the ruling party and the main opposition party, with all lawmakers from each party sponsoring their respective requests, the head of the Proceedings Division of the National Assembly Secretariat said.
The move marks the step toward establishing a special parliamentary committee to examine allegations of mismanagement by the National Election Commission during the voting process.
The establishment of the committee is expected to undergo negotiations, as proposals from the two parties differed over the scope of the probe and the number of seats to be allotted to each party on the committee. The opposition party has also argued that a separate special counsel probe should be launched alongside the parliamentary investigation, while the ruling party has maintained that such a move should be considered after the parliamentary probe.
The move comes after ballot shortages were reported at more than a dozen polling stations in Seoul during last Wednesday's local elections, temporarily disrupting voting and prompting protests by people alleging election fraud. A plenary session of the National Assembly is held in Seoul on June 5, 2026, in this file photo.
