Ballot Boxes Removed Six Hours After Verification Concludes

The special prosecutor's team of the National Election Commission completed its verification of approximately 2.47 million ballots from the June 3 local elections, moving the ballots to a designated secure location about six hours after the verification ended. The verification took place at the Handball Stadium in Seoul's Olympic Park, concluding between 12:30 a.m. and 12:40 a.m., roughly 12 hours after it began.

The special prosecutor's team examined the ballots one by one, checking whether the quantities matched, as well as the condition of the marks and printing. Respecting objections raised by observers, the team took voluntary submission of entire boxes of specific ballots and selected a considerable number of ballots requiring further analysis. The team said it would refer all of the selected ballots to the National Forensic Service for final examination.

After the verification ended, observers from the People Power Party, including party leader Jang Dong-hyuk, staged a sit-in to block the transfer of the ballots, citing concerns about evidence tampering, delaying the removal by about six hours. Around 6 a.m., the election commission, together with police personnel, moved the ballots that had been judged free of irregularities during verification out of the venue.