A couple casts ballots while carrying their young children at a polling station set up inside the Dobong-dong Indoor Sports Center in Dobong Ward, Seoul, on Wednesday, the day of South Korea’s ninth nationwide local elections. Photo by Asia Today
June 3 (Asia Today) — Police received 213 election-related emergency reports nationwide by noon Wednesday as South Koreans voted in the ninth nationwide local elections, including complaints involving disturbances, alleged interference with voting and assaults at polling stations.
The National Police Agency said the reports were filed between 6 a.m. and noon through the 112 emergency call system.
By category, voting interference and disturbances accounted for the largest number, with 28 cases. Police also received 10 reports related to traffic inconvenience and two reports of assault. Another 173 reports were classified as other cases, including mistaken reports.
In Seoul, police received 38 election-related reports during the same period.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, a woman in her 70s caused a disturbance at a polling station in Yeongdeungpo Ward at around 9:06 a.m., shouting that her ballot had already been marked.
Police said they plan to verify the facts because statements from the voter and the election worker who handed out the ballot differ. Police said the report so far appears to be based on the voter’s claim.
At around 9:35 a.m., a man in his 30s allegedly tried to photograph his ballot inside a voting booth at a polling station in Gwanak Ward. After being stopped, he shouted and caused a disturbance, police said. Police plan to investigate the case.
At around 10:37 a.m., police received a report that two ballots had been printed at once at a polling station in Gangdong Ward. The Gangdong Ward election commission inspected the site and determined it was a simple mistake by an election worker.
Other disorderly incidents were reported across the country.
At around 6:28 a.m., a man in his 60s caused a disturbance at a polling station in Dongdaemun Ward after he tried to leave without putting his ballot in the ballot box and was stopped.
At around 7:40 a.m., a man in his 60s allegedly assaulted an election official at a polling station in Guro Ward after arriving at the wrong polling place and being directed to his assigned station. Police said the man struck the official’s arm and pulled the person by the arm.
Police said they will confirm the facts in reports involving disturbances, voting interference and assault at polling stations and investigate possible violations under relevant laws.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260603010000966
