South Korean university students to protest over ballot shortage controversy
TLE Desk: University students across South Korea are set to hold nationwide protests on Wednesday as public anger grows over ballot paper shortages that disrupted last week’s local elections, reports AFP.
Student unions from 18 universities plan to stage demonstrations from 6:00 pm, demanding accountability over the election-day mishap that affected dozens of polling stations across the country.
According to official data, around 7,000 ballot papers were unavailable at polling centres during the June 3 local elections. Although election authorities later replenished supplies and voting continued, the incident has fuelled public outrage and renewed concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
The election was the first nationwide vote since President Lee Jae Myung assumed office following the removal of former president Yoon Suk Yeol after his brief declaration of martial law in late 2024.
Lee’s ruling Democratic Party secured victories in most contests for mayors, local government officials and assembly members, but failed to win the key Seoul mayoral race.
The controversy prompted the resignation of the head of the National Election Commission (NEC), but authorities have so far rejected calls for a fresh vote. The decision triggered large-scale demonstrations over the weekend.
“We are determined to protest because people are universally outraged regardless of political affiliation,” Hwang In-seo, a representative of Yonsei University’s student council, told AFP.
Political analysts say the NEC, a constitutional body with limited external oversight, has long faced criticism over weaknesses in its internal accountability and review mechanisms.
The controversy has also drawn legal scrutiny. A Seoul court this week ordered election materials from an affected polling station in the capital to be preserved as part of an investigation.
The preserved evidence includes ballot boxes and CCTV footage, according to a representative of the Seoul Eastern District Court.
Meanwhile, local media reported that prosecutors and police have agreed to form a joint investigation team to examine the circumstances surrounding the ballot shortages.
