Ballot shortage in South Korea sparks mass protests and resignation of poll authority chief

A shortage of ballot papers during local elections in South Korea left many voters unable to cast their votes as planned, leading to widespread disruption, Reuters reports.

According to the report, numerous voters arriving at polling stations to vote encountered an unexpected problem: ballot papers had run out.

What were intended to be brief visits to polling stations escalated into disputes with election officials, as voters were forced to wait for hours until additional ballots arrived.

Discontent spread across more than 90 polling stations, where the shortage triggered a broader wave of public anger. The situation escalated into clashes with police, while conspiracy theories and allegations of electoral fraud began circulating.

Following the incident, the poll authority chief resigned, prompting President Lee Jae Myung Lee to order an investigation and vow to overhaul procedures.