Ballot shortage sparks wave of protests and posters at universities nationwide

University campuses across the country are seething with anger over the ballot shortage that marred the June 3 local elections.

On Saturday morning, students affiliated with the Joint Forum of Korean University Student Councils held a press conference at Sinchon Star Square in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. They said they had come forward "as representatives of youth who resist injustice, to firmly respond to the National Election Commission's violation of suffrage."

"An unprecedented violation of sovereignty has occurred in constitutional history — one that damages democracy and breeds distrust in the entire electoral process," they said, vowing to "remember, document and pursue accountability to the end."

The National Association of University Student Councils, which represents student councils at more than 100 universities nationwide, issued a condemnation statement Thursday, strongly denouncing the NEC for "violating the people's right to vote." It added that "failing to fully guarantee each citizen's vote is a challenge to popular sovereignty," and that "student council representatives across the country cannot remain silent in the name of student self-governance, which has long defended democracy."

Student councils and individual students at universities across the country have been issuing statements and posting notices calling on the NEC to establish accountability and take steps to prevent a recurrence.

The joint council of college student council presidents at Seoul National University issued a statement Friday titled "Will you let the flower of democracy, bloomed in blood, wither?" It urged the NEC to "deeply reflect on its failure to maintain trust in the electoral process through its own incompetence, and ensure that those responsible are held accountable."

Korea University also saw a wave of condemnation statements from college-level student councils. The Korea University College of Liberal Arts student council said it would "not stand by idly as sovereignty crumbles," adding that democracy was "built in blood by past generations and must be fully enjoyed by those who come after."

The Ewha Womans University student council said the NEC's excuse that "more voters than expected showed up" amounted to dereliction of duty, and that while NEC Chairman Noh Tae-ak had offered to resign, "resignation is not the same as fulfilling one's responsibility."

Yonsei University's student council was reported to have convened an emergency meeting with the ballot shortage as the main agenda item. Earlier, a poster put up under the name of a Yonsei student from the class of 2024 stated that "citizens' right to vote was violated by the incompetence of a state institution" and that "when democracy wavers, student self-governance must respond," calling for a general student assembly to pass a formal condemnation resolution.

The wave of protests that began at universities in Seoul has since spread to student communities in other regions.

Jeonbuk National University's student council issued a statement titled "The question martyr Lee Se-jong left behind: Is democracy being upheld?" It said voters in North Jeolla Province, "as citizens who aspire to democracy in the Republic of Korea, must defend the weight of each vote."

Chosun University's student council also released a statement asking, "We ask from Gwangju, the sacred ground of democracy: How seriously is the NEC taking the weight of each vote cast by the people?"

Among university students, there was no shortage of voices demanding accountability for the election management failure.

A 23-year-old university student surnamed Lee living in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, said she did not believe claims of election fraud, but added that "preparing far too few ballots relative to the number of eligible voters is clearly the NEC's fault."

A 25-year-old Yonsei University student surnamed Moon said it was "devastating that something like this happened in a democratic country," noting that a memorial event for democracy martyr Lee Han-yeol happened to be taking place on campus at the same time.

A 25-year-old student at a Seoul university, identified only as A, said it made no sense given how hard everyone had pushed voter turnout, calling elections "the flower of democracy." The student said "a parliamentary investigation and a special prosecutor are obviously necessary, and legislation to prevent a recurrence is also needed."

Some students also expressed support for holding a revote.

Yoon Sang-hun, 24, a student at Sogang University, said "process and systems matter more than outcomes in democracy," adding that "in that sense, a revote seems absolutely necessary."

A 21-year-old Ewha Womans University student surnamed Park said that if a revote were held, "it would be questionable whether that could be a fair election given that results have already been announced." Still, she said, "it is also unfair to maintain the current situation when some people were unable to vote." She added that "the NEC and the government must take responsibility and find a solution."

Criticism also emerged over police action to forcibly disperse protesters. Police deployed riot units Friday morning to the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, to disperse demonstrators and secure the ballot boxes.

A 25-year-old university student surnamed Hyeon living in Mapo-gu, Seoul, said the riot police intervention to disperse citizens protesting the situation "is itself what I would call a subversion of constitutional order," adding that as a student preparing for the civil service exam, "I even looked up the constitution to see if something like this could actually happen."

Lee Eun-hyeok, 24, a Yonsei University student, said, "Isn't the police forcibly breaking up a nonviolent protest by citizens who couldn't vote itself a major step backward for democracy?"

During the local elections held Wednesday, ballot shortages at some polling stations in Songpa-gu, Gangnam and Gwangjin in Seoul left some voters waiting or forced to give up their votes. One of the affected sites — the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu — extended voting hours until 10 a.m. on election day, but retrieval of the ballot boxes was delayed as protesting voters and demonstrators converged on the location.