South Korea · 9th Local ElectionsBallot Paper Shortage Incident
South Korea · Fact Record · Chronological Archive
South Korea’s 9th Nationwide Local Elections Ballot Paper Shortage Incident
A chronological factual record based solely on the National Election Commission’s official announcements and mainstream news reports. It contains no interpretation, opinion, or speculation about intent, and cites a source for each fact.
Period 2026.05.29 — 06.11Time zone Korea Standard Time (KST)Updated 2026.06.11
EventStatementFact juxtaposition
Tap an item to open its details and sources.
2026.06.11Thu
12:58 AM
▸The ‘50% ballot printing’ cut was decided by 2 secretariat officials via ‘sole authority,’ with no meeting or vote by the 9 commissioners (Chosun Ilbo)
NEC조선일보(URL 확인 예정)한국일보헤럴드경제Multi-verified
2026.06.10Wed
9:34 PM
▸President Lee Jae-myung on social media — ‘at the Jamsil gathering, insults and assaults on police have crossed the line… cannot be condoned’
Lee헤럴드경제파이낸셜뉴스서울경제Multi-verified
9:00 PM
▸The missing ‘1,900-sheet (49%) storage box’ — Seoul Election Commission ‘didn’t know where it was,’ then Songpa Election Commission admits ‘disposed of as waste on the 9th’ (about 5 hours before the preservation notice)
NEC채널A(단독)세계일보파이낸셜뉴스(종합2보)Multi-verified
8:00 PM
▸SBS exclusive — 70% of ballots sent additionally on election day were ‘unnumbered’… serials hand-written on site / some stations had more voters than ballots
▸Court’s on-site inspection at Jamsil 7-dong fails to find the ‘1,900-print box’ — evidence preservation falls through; NEC: “We don’t know where it is either”
NEC파이낸셜뉴스(상자 행방)파이낸셜뉴스(종합)헤럴드경제Multi-verified
2:00 PM
▸PM Kim Min-seok: NEC needs ‘dissolution-level’ reform · Speaker Cho Jeong-sik: ‘inquiry committee to be formed on the 11th’ — June 10 uprising anniversary
DP파이낸셜뉴스(의장·총리)MBC이투데이Multi-verified
6:00 AM
▸Main ballots ‘printed under 50%’ at 1,371 sites nationwide (1 in 10)… Sejong 78%, lowest 45.5%; the 60→50% cut was by ‘unilateral decision’
NEC한국일보(단독)뉴스1부산일보Multi-verified
12:01 AM
▸‘Leftover-ballot storage envelopes and campaign mailers’ found in a Chuncheon apartment trash bin — dispute over poor post-election handling of materials
NEC강원일보(단독)Single source
2026.06.09Tue
8:00 PM
▸Joint police-prosecution task force officially launches — head Kim Tae-hoon, Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ 3rd deputy chief
파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
6:00 PM
▸Court ‘partly grants’ evidence preservation of the Jamsil ballot storage box and CCTV — denies it for the main ballots and ballot boxes
문화일보헤럴드경제파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
3:54 PM
▸NEC: “Identical totals are coincidence… please refrain from baseless suspicion”
NEC헤럴드경제뉴스핌SBSMulti-verified
3:00 PM
▸Oh Se-hoon draws a line on a ‘full re-election’ — ‘a 60,000-vote gap can’t change the outcome’; to Jang Dong-hyuk, ‘hard to win applause’
PPP서울신문MBC머니투데이Multi-verified
2:00 PM
▸Fifth day of the gathering in front of the Olympic Park counting center (6/9) — about 10,000 during the day, slogans expanding to ‘NEC reform’ and spreading to campuses
NEC파이낸셜뉴스(종합)시사저널인사이트Multi-verified
10:00 AM
▸President Lee Jae-myung departs on a Europe trip (G7) June 9–18 — his first overseas schedule right after handling the incident
LeeMBC대통령실 브리핑뉴데일리Multi-verified
2026.06.08Mon
10:00 PM
▸NEC launches an external fact-finding committee (chair Cho Hyun-wook)… leadership under acting officials
NEC한국일보뉴스1Multi-verified
9:00 PM
▸NEC raises ‘election-day shortage stations’ to 91… 140 with add-on deliveries (June 8 recount)
NEC경향신문(91곳)헤럴드경제(140곳)MBCMulti-verified
6:30 PM
▸This time, ‘1,200 omitted from the voter roll’ (Cheongju)… the pre-check sheet read ‘no issues’
NEC경향신문한국일보헤럴드경제Multi-verified
3:00 PM
▸Both parties submit inquiry requests over the ballot incident — the PPP (Rep. Kim Eun-hye) also files a ‘vote-manipulation special-counsel bill’
PPP파이낸셜뉴스(국조 요구서)이투데이헤럴드경제Multi-verified
12:00 PM
▸PPP internal rift over ‘re-election’ — Jang Dong-hyuk keeps demanding it, while winner Oh Se-hoon stays silent and keeps his distance
PPPMBC파이낸셜뉴스오마이뉴스Multi-verified
12:00 PM
▸Identical vote totals for the two major parties observed simultaneously across different precincts in in-district early voting
NEC중앙선관위 개표단위별 개표결과Single source
10:30 AM
▸President Lee Jae-myung: ‘the ballot shortage is very serious, but it differs from election-fraud theory’ — first-anniversary press conference and meeting of the four branch heads
Lee파이낸셜뉴스(회견)파이낸셜뉴스(회동 종합)한국일보Multi-verified
10:00 AM
▸Joint police-prosecution task force in the works — framed as a ‘mismanaged election’; Supreme Prosecutors’ Office: ‘we will rigorously establish the public’s suspicions’
문화일보파이낸셜뉴스한국일보Multi-verified
2026.06.07Sun
9:00 PM
▸Third day of citizens’ voluntary gathering in front of the Jamsil Olympic Park counting center — crowds again on Sunday after a weekend high of 30,000
파이낸셜뉴스뉴스핌뉴시스Multi-verified
2:30 PM
▸DP floats ‘checking the NEC even via constitutional amendment’
DP문화일보한겨레Multi-verified
2:00 PM
▸Both parties to submit inquiry requests on the 8th — DP’s ‘NEC reform’ vs PPP’s ‘re-election’
PPPDP경향신문파이낸셜뉴스문화일보Multi-verified
2:00 PM
▸Yoo Jeong-bok demands ‘abolish early voting’ at a press conference + Songdo sorter-malfunction dispute
PPP인천투데이경인방송문화일보Multi-verified
1:00 PM
▸President Lee Jae-myung posts on X (formerly Twitter) an order to form a joint police-prosecution task force and a request for a parliamentary inquiry
Lee한국일보파이낸셜뉴스뉴스핌Multi-verified
12:00 PM
▸Ballot budget was set at ‘110% of voters’ — actual printing floored at ‘50%’
NECMBC 뉴스데스크헤럴드경제더퍼블릭Multi-verified
10:30 AM
▸Jang Dong-hyuk at a press conference demands a meeting with Lee Jae-myung, a special counsel, and abolishing early voting
PPP머니투데이Multi-verified
9:00 AM
▸Privacy commission opens an inquiry into the Jamsil 7-dong voter-roll-check-slip exposure
인사이트Single source
2026.06.06Sat
10:00 PM
▸Second day of citizens’ voluntary gathering at Jamsil Olympic Park — up to about 30,000 at night (centered on 20s–30s youth)
SBSKBSMulti-verified
4:00 PM
▸Rally in front of the Blue House urging a re-election — remarks by PPP supreme council member Kim Min-su
PPP연합뉴스(현장 사진)오마이뉴스(추진 보도)Multi-verified
1:00 PM
▸President Lee Jae-myung and his wife make a surprise Memorial Day visit to a Gangdong-gu traditional market — buying tteokbokki and more
Lee인사이트대전일보Multi-verified
12:35 PM
▸Citizens’ voluntary gathering in front of the Olympic Park counting center continues — surging during the day, many young people
인사이트오마이뉴스파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
11:30 AM
▸Gwanghwamun ‘June 6 national rally’ — hosted by Daegukbon, demanding a re-election and an NEC investigation
파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
◐ Fact juxtaposition
Identical early-vote totals in Songdo 1 & 2-dong — fact vs. NEC explanation
Fact (NEC statistics)
In-district early voting in Songdo 1 & 2-dong: Park Chan-dae 3,030 and Yoo Jeong-bok 1,440 — identical. But the voter counts, Lee Ki-bung’s votes, and the election-day results all differ.
Source: NEC statistics system
Incheon Election CommissionNEC
The totals coincidentally matched after going through separate sorting and review.
Source: News1
11:00 AM
▸Songdo 1·2-dong early voting in Incheon — identical totals for Park Chan-dae and Yoo Jeong-bok
뉴스1머니투데이뉴데일리Multi-verified
10:00 AM
▸Jang Dong-hyuk at the supreme council: ‘we will fight to the end — a re-election is unavoidable’
PPP파이낸셜뉴스시사저널머니투데이Multi-verified
◐ Fact juxtaposition
‘More voters than expected’ vs. media fact-check
NEC (Yoon Jae-su)NEC
At some precincts, more voters turned out than expected on the day, so ballots ran short.
Source: NEC briefing
Fact-check
Across all of Songpa, about 40,000 ballots were left over, on top of the print floor being cut 60%→50%. A distribution failure.
Source: Yonhap
8:30 AM
▸Media fact-check — about 40,000 left over in Songpa, print standard confirmed cut 60%→50%
연합뉴스동아일보Multi-verified
2026.06.05Fri
10:00 PM
▸First day of citizens’ voluntary gathering in front of the Jamsil Olympic Park counting center — demanding a re-election after the count was complete
▸PPP internal dispute over the word ‘riot’ — pushback within the party over Bae Hyun-jin’s remark
PPPMBC헤럴드경제파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
◐ Fact juxtaposition
Transport without observers — ‘could be void’ claim vs. ‘a matter to watch’
People Power PartyPPP
Ballot boxes moved without observers present could be ruled void (claims only 14 observers took part).
Source: Seoul Shinmun video
NECNEC
A matter to watch, given the circumstances. If you object, resolve it through litigation.
Source: Seoul Shinmun video
11:00 AM
▸PPP protests to the NEC in person at the counting center — claims ‘only 14 observers took part’
PPPNEC서울신문Single source
10:00 AM
▸Second standoff at the counting center — citizens regather there
연합뉴스파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
9:30 AM
▸After the Jamsil 7-dong forced removal, ‘voter-roll check slips’ left abandoned at the station — voters’ personal data exposed
NEC연합뉴스(다음)헤럴드경제M이코노미뉴스Multi-verified
8:54 AM
▸Two ballot boxes removed — transported to the counting center
파이낸셜뉴스머니투데이Multi-verified
7:50 AM
▸About 1,000 officers from 18 riot units deployed — forced dispersal begins
파이낸셜뉴스머니투데이세계일보Multi-verified
2026.06.04Thu
8:35 PM
▸Jamsil 7-dong blockade drags on — one staff member taken to hospital
세계일보이투데이Multi-verified
2:00 PM
▸President Lee Jae-myung ‘deeply regrets it’ + NEC fact-finding-committee plan
LeeNEC한국일보경향신문Multi-verified
12:00 PM
▸Metropolitan heads 12 to 4 — Seoul mayor undetermined due to uncounted Jamsil 7-dong
서울시선관위뉴시스서울신문Multi-verified
11:00 AM
▸DP dismisses re-election talk on counting day — Cho Seung-rae: ‘not worth a moment’s consideration’
DP파이낸셜뉴스오마이뉴스Multi-verified
9:30 AM
▸Candidate Jung Won-oh concedes
DP서울신문YTNMulti-verified
7:16 AM
▸Seoul mayor count — Oh Se-hoon overtakes Jung Won-oh for the first time
뉴시스머니투데이Multi-verified
4:27 AM
▸Seoul Election Commission — ‘we will not force the transport’
NEC서울신문파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
4:00 AM
▸NEC official position — ‘not grounds for a re-election; counting cannot be halted’
NEC연합뉴스뉴시스파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
12:30 AM
▸Riot police deployed to Jamsil 7-dong — standoff
경향신문파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
2026.06.03Wed
11:50 PM
▸Jamsil 7-dong station No. 2 voting officially ends
파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
11:30 PM
▸Blue House’s first reaction — ‘a matter for the NEC to handle’ (stressing the independent constitutional body)
Lee파이낸셜뉴스시사저널헤럴드경제Multi-verified
10:30 PM
▸PPP leadership’s protest visit to the Gwacheon NEC
PPPNEC서울신문Single source
10:00 PM
▸Songpa civil servant on the union board: ‘We simply cannot run this election’ — “Not one NEC staffer came to the site”
NEC파이낸셜뉴스MBCBBC코리아Multi-verified
9:30 PM
▸PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk’s emergency press conference — demands halting the count and a revote
PPP서울경제Single source
9:30 PM
▸Jamsil 7-dong station No. 2 extended to 10 p.m. — standoff with citizens begins
파이낸셜뉴스연합뉴스Multi-verified
9:00 PM
▸Secretary-General Heo Cheol-hoon’s public apology + ‘Songpa printed 50%’ remark
NEC서울경제파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
7:50 PM
▸Around 7:50 p.m. on 6/3 (about when counting began), a fire of unknown cause on a hill ‘inside the grounds’ of the Gwacheon central NEC
NEC경향신문중부일보헤럴드경제Multi-verified
6:30 PM
▸Some stations close at 6 and begin counting ↔ Jamsil 7-dong and others extend voting to 10 p.m.
YTN파이낸셜뉴스Multi-verified
6:20 PM
▸NEC: ‘as of 6:20 p.m., 14 Seoul stations short of ballots’
NEC경향신문디지털타임스Multi-verified
5:00 PM
▸NEC text notice — guidance that waiting voters can vote normally
NEC파이낸셜뉴스경향신문Multi-verified
2:00 PM
▸Songpa·NEC field-staff group chat — ‘shortage inquiries from 2 p.m.’
NEC파이낸셜뉴스연합뉴스JTBCMulti-verified
1:00 PM
▸Some Songpa-gu stations begin running out of ballots
YTNSingle source
6:00 AM
▸Main voting begins (6 a.m.–6 p.m. scheduled)
선관위 발표뉴스핌Multi-verified
2026.06.02Tue
10:00 AM
▸President Lee Jae-myung orders ‘review of postal and electronic voting’ for overseas Koreans’ suffrage (the day before the main election)
Lee아주경제시사저널오마이뉴스Multi-verified
2026.05.30Sat
6:00 PM
▸Early-voting turnout 23.51% — a record high for local elections
파이낸셜뉴스매일노동뉴스Multi-verified
2026.05.29Fri
10:00 AM
▸Proxy vote slips through with a cousin’s ID at a Daegu early-voting station — the ‘identity-check loophole’ recurs after last year’s presidential election (a fingerprint ≠ identity verification)
NECYTN머니투데이한국경제Multi-verified
2026.03.06Fri
9:00 AM
▸In-district early-voting boxes are ‘opaque cloth bags’ — the NEC switched only the stand to transparent from the 6·3 election
NEC동아일보경향신문Multi-verified
2026.02.24Tue
7:41 PM
▸Democratic Party pushes a Public Official Election Act revision for ‘up to 10 years for spreading election falsehoods’ — critics call it an ‘election gag law’