Kim Doo-gyeom, the defeated Ulsan mayor, has directly criticized the unprecedented "ballot shortage" that occurred during the June 3 local elections, calling for a full investigation by the government and judicial authorities.
In an official statement Monday, Kim said, "A situation arose in which voting rights were undermined as ballots ran short at 91 polling stations nationwide." He raised suspicions, noting, "It is highly unusual that the shortages were concentrated in areas such as Ulsan's Okdong and Hyomun-dong, which happen to be regions led by People Power Party officials and conservative strongholds."
He went on to say, "As a 30-year administrative expert, I cannot possibly accept that the election commission secured 110% of its budget yet printed ballots for only 50% of main-vote voters." Kim sharply rebuked the commission's self-righteous attitude, citing the reporting of exit polls predicting a Democratic Party landslide while voting was suspended, as well as the commission's refusal to disclose its servers.
He also pointed to the simmering public sentiment, including protests by the 2030 generation at Seoul's Olympic Park and "death of democracy" wall posters at university campuses. Addressing the Lee Jae-myung administration, Kim warned, "Do not try to gloss this over with the resignation of the election commission chairman or police and prosecution investigations, and do not shift responsibility onto the election commission," as he announced four demands.
Kim's demands are: a sincere apology at the government level; an investigation into the truth through a parliamentary inquiry and a special counsel; the abolition of early voting and the extension of the main voting day to two days; and the preparation of effective measures to improve the election system.
"As the People Power Party's central party has submitted a request for a parliamentary inquiry to the National Assembly, I will align myself with the party," Kim said. "I will lend my strength until measures that Ulsan citizens can accept are produced and sovereignty is restored."
