A parliamentary investigation into the shortage of ballots and infringement of voting rights during the June 3 local elections was derailed from its first day due to non-cooperation by the National Election Commission (NEC). At the agency briefing on Monday morning, only some of the 43 NEC officials designated as witnesses attended, including former NEC Chairman Roh Tae-ak and Acting Chairman Wi Cheol-hwan. Sixteen people failed to appear en masse, including seven non-standing NEC commissioners, former Seoul Election Commission Chairman Oh Min-seok and former Songpa District Election Commission Chairman Min So-young, who were directly involved in the ballot shortage. Although they were designated as witnesses only the day before and therefore had no legal obligation to attend, their attitude was arrogant, showing no regard for the public or the National Assembly. After the ruling and opposition parties rebuked them in unison, calling it "a collective defiance against the people" and "organized resistance," most of the key witnesses belatedly appeared that afternoon.
At Seoul's Olympic Park, a "Jamsil counting center blockade protest" against the infringement of voting rights has continued for 19 days. There are concerns that, unless public suspicions are resolved as soon as possible, conspiracy theories about election fraud could run rampant. The fact that the officials reluctantly appeared at the National Assembly despite all this suggests just how irresponsible they have been in their NEC duties.
The NEC presented self-reform measures that day, including the introduction of a full-time chairmanship, legislation of an audit body, and the establishment of an independent election management evaluation committee under the National Assembly. But it is questionable whether such measures can restore public trust. The NEC let things slide without fundamental solutions even when its incompetence in election management was exposed, such as the "basket voting," duplicate distribution of ballots, and errors in entering counting results. The NEC's moral hazard is also too numerous to count, including junket-style sightseeing business trips, suspicions of preferential hiring, and employees taking leave during election seasons. Over the past several decades, hiding behind the protective shield of being an independent constitutional body, its self-purification function has completely collapsed.
If this matter is glossed over again, the very foundation of the constitutional order could be shaken. The political establishment must hurry to carry out sweeping reform of the NEC's organizational structure and operations, at a level tantamount to dismantling. President Lee Jae-myung that day urged a thorough investigation by the joint police-prosecution investigation headquarters into the NEC's internal operations. The joint headquarters must determine the substance of and responsibility for the poor election management and corruption without leaving any doubt. Depending on the results of the investigation, the NEC's top leadership and working-level staff will have to bear due responsibility.
