Election Day Absences Dismissed as "Standard Practice": Deep-Rooted Issues Persist at NEC

On the day of the June 3 local elections, it was revealed that only two members of the National Election Commission (NEC)—then-Chairperson Noh Tae-ak, who was a non-standing member, and Standing Commissioner Wi Cheol-hwan—were present at the NEC office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province.

This was confirmed through data submitted by the NEC to the office of Representative Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party.

Seven non-standing commissioners did not report to the office, raising concerns about whether they should have been present on election day, even in a non-standing capacity.

At the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission, only five out of eight commissioners, including the chairperson and the standing commissioner, were present at the building or the vote-counting situation room on the day of the election.

When a shortage of ballots led to a suspension of voting in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of June 3, an emergency meeting of the NEC, which requires the attendance of election commissioners, was not hastily convened until midnight on June 4.

The National Election Commission was established in 1963, three years after the April 19 Revolution, and was granted the status of an independent constitutional body to prevent government-controlled elections.

For the past 60 years, it has maintained a dual system consisting of election commissioners—primarily legal experts and scholars—and a secretariat responsible for practical operations. Analysts suggest this incident has exposed a structural problem within the NEC where no one takes responsibility.

During the early voting period for the presidential election on March 5, 2022, when the so-called "basket voting" controversy erupted, then-Chairperson Noh Jeong-hee also did not report to the office.

At that time, the NEC also explained that it was "in accordance with precedent for non-standing members," and an emergency committee meeting was not held until March 7, two days after the incident.

Experts point out that unless the NEC commissioners are transitioned to full-time status and oversight of election officials is strengthened, similar incidents are bound to recur.

Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video Editing: | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.