K KNOWLEDGE

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How Is Election Management Conducted? And Why Is It Important?

The National Election Commission (NEC) is an independent constitutional body that does not belong to the executive or legislative branches, having been established through separation from the executive branch following the March 15 fraudulent election and the April 19 Revolution. The NEC consists of nine members appointed equally by the President, the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and manages elections and referendums through a four-tiered nationwide organizational network spanning central, city/provincial, district/city/county, and town/ship/neighborhood levels. The entire process—including candidate registration, campaigning, early voting, Election Day voting, and vote counting—is operated with a focus on ensuring transparency and trust, combining machine sorting with human visual review and allowing observation by political parties and voters. However, during the 9th simultaneous local elections on June 3, 2026, a shortage of ballot papers occurred at 50 polling stations, including the Jamsil area in Songpa-gu, Seoul, leading to temporary suspension of voting at 22 locations and some voters giving up their right to vote. This incident, attributed to lowered minimum limits for ballot printing and miscalculated distribution predictions, resulted in the substantial infringement of citizens' right to vote and even triggered protests claiming re-elections and fraudulent voting, strongly raising the need for a thorough and transparent investigation of the causes and recurrence prevention measures.