South Korea Election Commission spent 99.99% of bonus budget after voting error

South Korea's National Election Commission spent 99.99% ^[1] of its performance-bonus budget following the 2022 "sokuri voting" incident.

The spending reveals a gap between the agency's internal rewards and the public's demand for accountability. The incident drew widespread criticism for violating the fundamental principles of direct and secret ballots during the presidential election pre-vote period.

Records show the commission left only 1,000 KRW ^[3] of the performance-bonus budget unspent. Despite the procedural failures that occurred at polling stations, the agency prioritized the full execution of its compensation budget ^[1].

Disciplinary action was limited to two staff members ^[2]. This small number of sanctions contrasts with the scale of the administrative failure and the subsequent public outcry over the lack of preparation.

Former National Election Commission Chairperson Noh Jung-hee said the agency caused confusion and inconvenience due to inadequate preparations ^[1].

Critics argue that the decision to distribute nearly all available bonuses suggests a culture of internal protection. The "sokuri voting" episode—named for the baskets used to hold ballots in a manner that compromised secrecy—became a symbol of administrative negligence during the 2022 cycle.

While the commission acknowledged the errors, the financial data indicates that the staff's performance ratings remained high enough to trigger almost all available bonuses ^[1]. This has led to further questioning of how the agency measures success, and accountability, when basic electoral integrity is compromised.