Rep. Park Dae-chul, chairman of the People Power Party’s special committee on voting rights and election reform, speaks during the committee’s third meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo by Asia Today
Aug. 4 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party said Tuesday it will pursue legislation to abolish early voting and restructure the country’s election management system.
The party said its proposed “Voter Rights Protection Act” would establish an independent audit body to oversee the National Election Commission and consolidate election commissions operating at different administrative levels.
The party’s special committee investigating alleged violations of voting rights in the June 3 local elections discussed the proposals for about two hours at the National Assembly.
The committee plans to prepare a draft and submit it to party leaders and a meeting of People Power Party lawmakers before finalizing the legislation.
Rep. Park Dae-chul, chairman of the committee, said the bill would reflect public demands for an investigation of alleged voting-rights violations and a fundamental overhaul of the election commission.
“We will draft the legislation soon and seek approval at a meeting of our lawmakers,” Park said.
The proposal is expected to abolish early voting, merge election commissions at various levels and create an independent audit commission separate from the National Election Commission.
The proposed audit body would have the authority to request disciplinary action, refer cases for criminal investigation and file complaints with law enforcement agencies.
The legislation would also establish penalties for five categories of misconduct: destroying or altering election records, obstructing audits, retaliating against whistleblowers, damaging video records and disclosing confidential information.
Park said intentional manipulation by individuals should be treated as wrongdoing rather than administrative negligence.
He called for a special counsel investigation led by opposition parties and said the inquiry should include computer systems used in previous elections and the election commission’s servers.
Park also urged a joint police-prosecution investigation team to preserve server records and conduct compulsory searches where legally authorized.
The claims of manipulation cited by party lawmakers have not been established by an independent investigation or court ruling.
People Power Party lawmakers have continued to raise questions about discrepancies involving reported voter totals and turnout figures.
Rep. Joo Jin-woo said his office had identified circumstances suggesting that voter numbers may have been intentionally altered in 159 locations during the 2024 parliamentary elections and 109 locations during the most recent presidential election.
Joo called for compulsory investigative measures by the joint investigation team and said he would file criminal complaints against those involved unless authorities opened an investigation.
Rep. Kim Eun-hye, who is reviewing turnout figures from all 255 cities and counties nationwide, alleged that the election commission systematically managed incorrect voter entries recorded in Jincheon County, North Chungcheong Province, Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province and other areas during the June 3 local elections.
Kim also said 3,612 voters appeared to have been omitted from figures reported in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, before being added about an hour later.
“A special counsel must investigate without exception,” Kim said.
The National Election Commission is South Korea’s constitutionally established independent body responsible for administering elections, referendums and political party affairs.
The party committee and Park’s role were established following the June 3 elections. Park is a four-term People Power Party lawmaker representing Jinju in South Gyeongsang Province.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260805010001244
