NEC Officials Absent En Masse at Parliamentary Probe; "Don't Recall" Decision to Reduce Ballots

[Anchor]

A parliamentary investigation to uncover the causes of the ballot shortage crisis began today, June 23. However, key officials from the National Election Commission (NEC) were absent in large numbers from the very first day. It was only after facing harsh criticism, with some calling it a "collective act of defiance against the public," that some of the officials belatedly appeared.

Our first report is from Kim Bo-mi.

[Reporter]

This morning at the National Assembly's Special Committee on the Parliamentary Investigation.

Regarding the ballot shortage crisis, only two out of the nine members of the National Election Commission—former Chairperson Roh Tae-ak and Acting Chairperson Wi Cheol-hwan—were in attendance.

As seven members of the NEC, the chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission, and the chairperson of the Songpa-gu Election Commission were absent en masse, lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties strongly criticized the move as the height of irresponsibility and a disregard for the public.

[Kim Young-bae / Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker: You, more than anyone, should understand the significance of this situation in our constitutional order. The very fact that you are absent from this seat shows how irresponsible your attitude is...]

[Kim Eun-hye / People Power Party lawmaker: The former chairperson of the Seoul Election Commission, the chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Songpa-gu Election Commission, and all non-standing members are absent. I view this as a collective act of defiance against the public.]

Former NEC Chairperson Roh Tae-ak expressed his sense of responsibility for the crisis, but regarding the decision to issue a "50% reduction in ballot printing," he stated that he did not recall the details.

[Roh Tae-ak / Former Chairperson of the National Election Commission: I don't remember, but I believe a report of this brief nature was likely made through the Secretary-General's final approval.]

Acting NEC Chairperson Wi Cheol-hwan also acknowledged the shortcomings in election management and offered an apology, but drew a line at calls for his resignation.

[Wi Cheol-hwan / Acting Chairperson of the National Election Commission: The NEC is currently on the verge of paralysis. The approval chain has collapsed. Nothing can be done. I believe that would be irresponsible.]

Oh Min-seok, former chairperson of the Seoul Election Commission, and Min So-young, former chairperson of the Songpa-gu Election Commission—the officials responsible for the regions where the voting suspension crisis was most concentrated—belatedly appeared in the afternoon following continued reprimands from the National Assembly.

(Video coverage: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video editing: Jeon Min-gyu)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.