A recount of 2.47 million ballots from the June 3 local elections, stored at the Handball Stadium in Olympic Park in Seoul's Songpa District, is moving forward in earnest. With the Democratic Party of Korea joining the People Power Party in agreeing to a recount, and the National Election Commission (NEC) laying out the verification procedures and costs, a recount through bipartisan negotiation has entered its final stages.
Han Byeong-do, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at a floor leadership meeting at the National Assembly on Monday, "We will actively review a plan to pursue, through bipartisan negotiation, a recount and manual count of the 2.47 million ballots remaining at the Handball Stadium in Olympic Park under the parliamentary special investigation committee."
Earlier, Yoon Sang-hyun, a People Power Party lawmaker who chairs the National Assembly special investigation committee on the "June 3 local election ballot shortage," proposed to the NEC a recount of the 2.47 million ballots stored at the Handball Stadium. Yoon added, "We have requested negotiations between the floor secretaries of both parties, and I expect a conclusion soon." Kim Seong-hoe, floor spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said that day, "As the Democratic Party's position is to conduct a recount if one is needed, we expect smooth negotiations with the People Power Party."
The NEC reported the ballot verification procedures and required costs during the special investigation committee's second on-site inspection that day. The commission estimated that verifying the 2.47 million ballots on-site before moving them to the Gwacheon government complex would take about nine hours and cost 50 million won. Currently, a total of 2.47 million ballots are stored at the Handball Stadium, including 370,000 ballots for the Seoul mayoral election, 250,000 ballots for the Songpa District Council's Ma electoral district, and 40,000 ballots for Jamsil 7-dong.
The NEC explained, "As ballots have been stored in a temporary space for an extended period, public anxiety and suspicions have been raised," adding, "Swift action is needed to dispel the suspicions and allow the Handball Stadium at Olympic Park to recover its original function."
While the two parties agreed on the need for a recount, they clashed at the special investigation committee that day over accountability of the Lee Jae-myung administration. Seo Beom-su, a People Power Party lawmaker serving as the opposition's floor secretary, argued, "The Democratic Party is holding only the NEC accountable and is not raising issues with the election support departments and the Presidential Office," adding, "Not only Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung but also Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik must attend to explain the facts and present countermeasures."
In contrast, Yoon Kun-young, a Democratic Party lawmaker serving as the ruling party's floor secretary, countered, "Through the agency briefing, it was confirmed that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety cannot intervene without a request from the NEC," adding, "As the Presidential Office and the NEC are constitutionally independent institutions, the parliamentary investigation must not drift into political strife."
The special investigation committee plans to hold hearings on the 14th and 22nd, then adopt a report after consolidating the related investigation results.
