People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk alleged Wednesday that ballot-paper shortages at 17 polling stations in Seoul compromised the fairness of the municipal election [1].
The allegations suggest a systemic failure in election administration that could lead to legal challenges or calls for a recount if a significant number of voters were unable to cast their ballots.
During an emergency press conference, Jang said a serious situation had occurred that could not be overlooked. He identified Songpa-gu as a primary area of concern, specifically citing the Jamsil 2-dong and Jamsil 7-dong 2nd polling stations [1].
Jang said that in the case of Jamsil 2-dong, district office officials provided information regarding the shortage of ballot papers three hours before the issue peaked [1]. Despite this advance warning, he said the National Election Commission took no action to resolve the deficit.
The PPP leader argued that the shortage prevented timely voting and contaminated the integrity of the Seoul municipal election. He noted that the lack of preparation was particularly egregious given that the increase in voter turnout compared with the previous election was less than 10% [1].
According to the dossier, the previous voter turnout rate was 60% [1]. Jang said the failure to provide adequate materials for a predictable turnout undermines the democratic process.
"A ballot-paper shortage occurred at 17 polling stations, including Songpa-gu in Seoul," Jang said [1].
“A serious situation has occurred that cannot be overlooked.”
These allegations target the National Election Commission's operational competence. By highlighting that the turnout increase was minimal—less than 10%—the PPP is framing the shortage not as an unexpected surge in civic participation, but as a negligent administrative failure. If proven, these shortages could provide the legal basis for contesting the legitimacy of the Seoul municipal results.
