Vote counting begins in parts of Seoul as ballot shortage triggers apology

Vote counting began in parts of Seoul on Wednesday as the National Election Commission prepared to issue a public apology over a ballot shortage that disrupted polling across the city.

As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, counting was under way in three districts — Jongno-gu, Jung-gu and Yongsan-gu — with the overall tally rate at 0.16 percent, according to the NEC. Of 8,358 ballots counted, Democratic Party of Korea candidate Jeong Won-o led with 5,303 votes, or 63.94 percent, while People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon had 2,804 votes, or 33.81 percent. Justice Party candidate Kwon Young-guk received 1.14 percent, Reform Party candidate Kim Jeong-cheol 0.62 percent and Women's Party candidate Yoo Ji-hye 0.47 percent.

Ballot shortages were reported at polling stations across several Seoul districts during the day. The PPP's Seoul chapter said its own survey found that as of 6 p.m., shortages had occurred at 12 locations — including stations in Songpa-gu's Munjeong 1-dong, Munjeong 2-dong, Jamsil 2-dong, Jamsil 7-dong, Jamsil 4-dong, Garak 2-dong and Wirye-dong, stations in Gangnam-gu's Cheongdam-dong and Gaepo 2-dong, one in Gwangjin-gu's Guui 3-dong and one in Dongjak-gu's Noryangjin 1-dong.

PPP Seoul chapter chairwoman Bae Hyun-jin held a press conference at the National Assembly, saying the ballot shortage "is not a simple mistake but proof that the basic system of election administration has collapsed, shaking the very foundation of democracy." Rep. Shin Dong-wook, who chairs the party's fair-election committee, visited the NEC headquarters in Gwacheon to lodge a protest and wrote on Facebook that the commission was in a state of "total dysfunction," adding that "vote counting must not proceed in this condition."

The NEC issued a public apology over the shortage later Wednesday. Secretary-General Heo Cheol-hun, speaking at the NEC building in Gwacheon at 9 p.m., said the commission "deeply apologizes and takes full responsibility for the inconvenience caused to citizens who came to exercise their precious right to vote, and for undermining public trust in fair election administration." Heo said the NEC transferred ballots to affected stations as soon as the shortage was identified, and that voters already waiting in line at those stations were allowed to cast their ballots even after the official closing time.