Ballot paper shortages occurred at 50 polling stations across South Korea during the 2024 elections [1].
The shortages sparked public criticism and fueled conspiracy theories regarding election fraud. Critics argue that the administrative failure undermined trust in the democratic process by creating artificial barriers to voting.
Incidents were reported nationwide, including in Seoul's Jamsil-dong, as well as in Busan, Daegu, and Incheon [2]. While approximately 4,000 polling stations operated across the country [1], the shortage was severe enough that voting was paused and then resumed at 22 locations [1].
South Korea's Central Election Commission attributed the shortages to an internal printing policy. The commission set a guideline to print ballot papers for only 50% of registered voters [1]. This was a reduction from the 60% guideline used during the 2018 local elections [1].
Election policy director Yoon Jae-soo said that voting was paused and resumed at a total of 22 stations due to the lack of papers [1]. A spokesperson for the Central Election Commission said the internal guideline to set the printing minimum at 50% of voters was communicated to each regional commission [2].
Officials said the decision to lower the printing threshold was intended to curb waste. However, the resulting shortages provided ammunition for those alleging systemic irregularities in the vote count. The gap between the 2018 standard and the 2024 policy remains a point of contention for those questioning the commission's efficiency.
“Voting was paused and then resumed at 22 locations”
The decision to prioritize cost-cutting and waste reduction over a surplus of ballot papers created a vulnerability in the election's perceived integrity. By reducing the printing buffer from 60% to 50%, the commission inadvertently created logistical failures that mirror the narratives used by election-fraud conspiracy theorists, potentially damaging long-term public confidence in South Korean electoral administration.
