Identical vote totals for major candidates in 12 early voting locations have prompted the formation of a fact-finding committee in South Korea [3].
The discovery of matching numbers across geographically distant districts raises questions about the integrity of the electronic counting process and the possibility of systemic manipulation.
Reports indicate that candidates Min Hyung-bae (Democratic Party) and Lee Jeong-hyun (People Power Party) received the exact same number of votes in Gwangju Songjeong-1-dong and Goheung-gun Geumsan-myeon [1]. In both locations, Min received 1,401 votes and Lee received 120 votes [1].
This pattern extended beyond those two sites. Five pairs of locations, totaling 10 sites in the Honam region, showed the same identical vote counts [2]. When including Incheon Songdo, the total number of locations with identical vote totals reached 12 [3]. These sites include Gwangju Songjeong-1-dong, Goheung-gun Geumsan-myeon, and areas in Sinan, Yeosu, Hwasun, and Gangjin [1].
Former mayor Yoo Jeong-bok (People Power Party) raised concerns regarding the data, citing "suspicions of fraudulent counting and manipulation" [1], he said. The controversy coincides with separate reports of ballot-paper shortages during the early voting period for the June 3, 2024, local elections [1].
The National Election Commission described the identical totals as a "coincidence" [1], it said. Meanwhile, representatives from the People Power Party dismissed the allegations as a "conspiracy theory" [1], they said.
Despite these dismissals, the government is moving forward with a fact-finding committee to investigate how the same numerical outcomes occurred across 12 different voting sites [3].
“"coincidence"”
The emergence of identical vote totals across 12 disparate locations is statistically improbable, which typically fuels public distrust in electoral systems. While the National Election Commission maintains these are coincidences, the move to establish a formal fact-finding committee suggests the government recognizes that the optical anomaly could undermine the perceived legitimacy of the June 2024 local elections.
