Parliamentary Committee Launches Inquiry into Election Ballot Shortage

SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- A parliamentary special committee on Tuesday conducted its first inquiry into the National Election Commission (NEC) over an unprecedented shortage of ballots during the recent local elections.

Last week, the National Assembly launched a special 18-member committee to investigate the cause of the shortage of ballots at more than a dozen polling stations in Seoul during the June 3 local elections.

"As the chairperson, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the shortcomings found in the NEC's oversight," former NEC Chairman Roh Tae-ak said at the session.

The special committee is scheduled to receive a second round of reporting from the NEC and its regional offices, as well as the interior ministry and the National Police Agency on July 1.

The committee also approved plans to conduct an on-site probe on July 8, followed by two days of hearings on July 14 and July 22.

"I offer my sincere apologies to the voters who experienced significant confusion and inconvenience while exercising their precious right to vote, which should have been guaranteed," Wi Chul-hwan, acting chairman of the NEC, said at the session.

Wi pledged to do his best to uncover the truth behind the ballot shortages and dismissed lawmakers' calls for his resignation, saying it would be "irresponsible" for him to resign at this stage.

The committee earlier agreed to summon 43 witnesses, including 27 current and former NEC officials, and one reference witness.

Among the NEC's eight incumbent commissioners, only Wi appeared before the committee during the morning session, drawing criticism from both the ruling and opposition lawmakers.

Lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition People Power Party called the absence of key witnesses a "collective act of defiance" and urged the remaining witnesses to appear before the committee.