Election commission says it 'solemnly accepts' ballot shortage probe findings, vows systemic reform

The National Election Commission said Monday it "solemnly accepts" the findings of a fact-finding committee that identified sweeping failures in election management.

Following a commission meeting Monday, the NEC said in a press release that it plans to review the policy recommendations made by the fact-finding committee alongside improvement measures for the election management system to be discussed in a forthcoming parliamentary investigation. It added that it would "make every effort to achieve fundamental systemic reform so that a situation damaging the people's right to political participation does not recur."

At the same meeting, the NEC decided to submit all materials from the fact-finding committee's report to a joint prosecution-police investigative task force, while proceeding with disciplinary action against relevant personnel based on the results of a special audit underway in its independent inspector general's office.

Acting Chairman Wi Cheol-hwan recused himself and did not attend the meeting, the NEC said.

Meanwhile, a special parliamentary investigation committee looking into the ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections plans to summon more than 40 NEC officials as witnesses, including all nine members of the central commission. The committee is set to begin its formal activities Tuesday with an institutional briefing from the NEC.