▲ National Election Commission (Yonhap)

election watchdog-ballot shortage

Election watchdog says accepts 'with heavy heart' results of panel investigation into ballot shortages

SEOUL, June 22 (Yonhap) -- The National Election Commission (NEC) said Monday it accepts "with a heavy heart" the results of a panel investigation that found systemic failures in its election management in the wake of ballot shortages during recent local elections.

The election watchdog's statement came three days after a fact-finding committee under the NEC announced the results of a weeklong investigation into the debacle on June 3, concluding the organization requires sweeping reforms tantamount to dismantlement.

"We accept with a heavy heart the fact-finding committee's investigation results that there were systemic problems in overall election management," the NEC said in a press release after a meeting of commission members.

"We plan to make our best efforts to realize fundamental institutional improvements that ensure the people's suffrage is not damaged again," it added.

Members agreed during the meeting to submit the fact-finding committee's report to a joint prosecution-police team investigating the ballot shortages and seek disciplinary measures against those responsible in line with the results of a separate ongoing audit.

According to the fact-finding committee, 140 of the country's 14,288 polling stations requested and received additional ballot papers after anticipating shortages on election day. Of those, 91 used the additional ballots they received, while voting was at least temporarily disrupted at 26 polling stations due to ballot shortages.

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