Han Byung-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the People Power Party on Wednesday, saying it was "inserting an election fraud conspiracy theory into the ballot shortage situation" and calling it a "low-grade political offensive."
Han made the remarks at the party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day. "People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok stoked the conspiracy theory by calling it a national suspicion that some electoral districts had equal vote counts between candidates," he said.
"This is a low-grade political offensive that one could not make with even the slightest knowledge of the counting procedures and process," he said. "Dozens of counting staff participate in the vote count, and observers from each party watch the entire process with sharp eyes. How could election fraud occur?"
He added, "Leader Jang's claim is a conspiracy theory packaged with the word 'suspicion,' and an attempt to revive the 'Yoon Again' specter that incites national division." He urged, "Stop the irresponsible incitement now and focus on uncovering the truth of the ballot shortage situation."
"The Democratic Party will report a request for a parliamentary inquiry as soon as possible and activate a special inquiry committee to resolve national suspicions about the ballot shortage situation and to prepare measures to prevent recurrence," Han said. "We will thoroughly investigate whether the election commission's process for calculating the number of ballots to print involved violations or negligence, and we will get to the bottom of the cause and the process."
The Democratic Party plans to launch an Electoral System Reform Task Force (TF) that day and hold its first meeting. "We will devote all our capabilities to innovating the entire election management system and designing a system that meets the public's expectations," Han said. "We will take responsibility to the end so that the truth can be uncovered, those responsible held accountable, and measures to prevent recurrence prepared, in accordance with the law and principles."
