Photo : YONHAP News
National Election Commission(NEC) Chair Rho Tae-ak has stepped down to take responsibility for ballot shortages in some polling stations in Seoul during Wednesday’s local elections.
In a news conference held at the commission’s headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, Rho said there is no excuse for the incident, which violated the people’s precious right to vote.
Rho added that the election watchdog will set up a committee comprising outside figures that will be tasked with determining the cause of the ballot shortages and with devising ways to prevent similar occurrences.
He said he will faithfully take part in all procedures to demonstrate the NEC’s accountability, including a parliamentary inspection, and that if those procedures require him to take responsibility, he will by all means do so.
Also on Friday, NEC Secretary General Huh Chul-hoon resigned over the ballot shortages.