Kim Yong-tae, chairman of the People's Power emergency response committee, said, ”We are considering amending the election law to allow for 'direct stamping' on advance ballots... The chairman of the election management committee should apologize” (South Korea)

Kim Yong-tae, chairman of the People's Power Emergency Response Committee and co-chairman of the election response committee, pointed out on the 30th that a problem of "false vote management" occurred during the early voting period of the 21st presidential election, and
"We will definitely amend the Public Offices Election Act to allow officials to directly stamp (pre-election ballots)," Kim said.
"We need to urgently reorganize the situation. Above all, the chairman of the National Election Commission must personally and sincerely apologize to the people," he said.
He held an emergency press conference at Dongtan Station in Seoul, saying, "In 2025, many incidents are occurring in the Republic of Korea, a democratic republic, that make you wonder, 'Can this really happen?'" and
"In Sinchon, Seoul, voters took their ballots, went to eat and went home. In Gangnam, Seoul, husbands and wives were arrested.
Today, in Gimpo and Bucheon cities in Gyeonggi Province, ballots from last year's National Assembly elections were removed from the pre-election ballot boxes for the presidential election.
"The ballot paper is not just a piece of paper. It is a symbol of sovereignty and a minimal proof that democracy is functioning properly. That sovereignty, that symbol, is too easily disregarded," he said.
"It's just fluctuating," he said. He then mentioned that the National Election Commission had apologized the previous day for a case of improper management at a polling station in Shinchon, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and said, "It's necessary now.
"The Election Management Committee should not push the responsibility onto the local government officials, saying, 'The management of the early voting stations is being handled by the local government officials.'
What we are pointing out is a matter of common sense. We must not become a country where people who say something is wrong are treated strangely,” he said. Chairman Kim said he would push for improvements to the system, and that he would introduce a system of voting by pre-voting ballots.
The party has announced its intention to amend the election law, including the requirement that election officials must personally affix their signatures on election documents. This was the content of the amendment that the party raised when former People's Power leader Han Dong-hoon was serving as chairman of the emergency response committee.
Chairman Kim stated, "Han's remarks were 100 times correct. Currently, Article 158 of the Public Offices Election Act and Article 84 of the Election Management Regulations are contradictory. We will correct this contradiction."
"The Central Election Commission should not evade this any further. If it tries to sweep this situation under the rug due to poor management, it will face resistance from the people," Kim said.
He added, "The public is asking again: How can we have confidence in an election where procedures have been so flawed? This time it is up to the Election Commission to answer that question."