South Korea held its ninth nationwide local elections and parliamentary by-elections on June 3, 2026. However, voting was disrupted at multiple polling stations after ballot shortages were reported in Seoul and other regions. According to reports, 67 polling stations required emergency ballot deliveries, while voting was temporarily suspended at 22 locations. Some voters reportedly waited for hours without being able to cast their ballots.
The election was followed by a series of allegations circulating online. Videos and social media posts purportedly showed election workers opening ballot boxes and inserting additional ballots, ballots being discarded without being counted, and police removing evidence related to election complaints. Protests subsequently broke out in several areas, leading to confrontations between demonstrators and police.
Separately, online speculation emerged over the identities of some police officers deployed at protest sites. Some social media users claimed that certain officers displayed unusual name tags or appearances and suggested that individuals of Chinese nationality may have participated in security operations.
The claims gained further attention after a Facebook user identified as “James Jseng” alleged the existence of “Foreign Self-Governance Patrol Teams,” community volunteer groups that cooperate with local police. According to the post, these groups were first established in Seoul in 2009 and later expanded nationwide, with ethnic Korean Chinese residents from China making 80 percent of the team, but t he official publicity materials rarely feature Chinese members.
Additional online videos claimed that a name displayed on an officer’s name tag could not be found in police personnel records when citizens inquired with authorities.
However, South Korea’s National Police Agency issued a statement on June 8 stating that all personnel involved in election-related security operations were South Korean police officers and denying allegations that foreign nationals had served in policing roles.
Sources:
1. Secret China, June 8, 2026
https://www.secretchina.com/news/gb/2026/06/08/1100203.html
2. Yahoo (Taiwan), June 9, 2026
https://tw.news.yahoo.com/韓國選票短缺抗議現場真有中國公安-韓媒事實查核給答案了-162541757.html