The head of South Korea’s National Election Commission has stepped down, taking responsibility for ballot paper shortages that affected several districts during Wednesday’s local elections and sparked widespread public criticism.

South Korea’s top election official has resigned after admitting responsibility for disruptions caused by a shortage of ballot papers in parts of the country during Wednesday’s local elections, an incident that drew strong public backlash.

The National Election Commission chief said he was leaving office following the administrative failure, which led to delays and confusion at polling stations in multiple districts.

Officials confirmed that the shortage disrupted voting processes in some areas, forcing temporary suspensions and prompting complaints from voters who were unable to cast their ballots smoothly.

The controversy quickly developed into a national issue, with critics questioning the preparedness of the election body and the integrity of its logistical arrangements

In response, the outgoing chief said his resignation was necessary to accept responsibility for the failures, adding that the commission would review its procedures to prevent a repeat of similar incidents in future elections.

Authorities have since launched an internal review into the cause of the shortage, as political parties and citizens continue to demand clearer answers over what went wrong on election day. (AriseNews TV)