Business
South Korea Election Commission Faces Scrutiny as 181 Staff Take Leave Before Local Vote
SEOUL — A surge in staff absences at South Korea’s National Election Commission ahead of the June 3 local elections has drawn sharp criticism, highlighting ongoing concerns about the body’s preparedness amid a separate ballot shortage controversy that has shaken public confidence in the electoral process.
As of late May, 181 employees — roughly 6% of the commission’s 3,034 authorized staff — were on leave, according to data released by the commission. The figure marked an increase from 176 in early April and continued a pattern of rising absences as nationwide votes approach.
The trend has persisted across recent elections. During the 2022 local elections, 226 staff members, or 7.6% of the workforce, were on leave. Numbers typically decline after polls close but rise again ahead of major votes, despite internal guidance urging employees to limit non-essential time off.
Pattern of Absences and Organizational Questions
Lawmakers from the opposition People Power Party have seized on the data, obtained through parliamentary channels, to question the commission’s operational culture. The spike occurred as the commission managed nationwide local elections for mayors, governors, council members and education superintendents.
Critics argue the recurring pattern reflects complacency. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Seung-su stated that such issues contributed to broader mismanagement, including ballot shortages that disrupted voting at dozens of polling stations.
“The complacent organizational culture of the National Election Commission led to a major disaster that even stripped voters of their suffrage,” Kim said, calling for systemic reform.
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon has previewed legislation to restrict leave during election periods, aiming to ensure full staffing for future votes. The commission had previously advised staff to refrain from unnecessary absences, but compliance appears limited.
Ballot Shortage Crisis Overshadows Elections
The leave issue has gained traction alongside a more visible crisis: severe shortages of physical ballots on election day. The commission printed ballots for approximately 50% of registered voters, anticipating high early voting turnout would reduce demand. That calculation proved flawed, leading to disruptions at around 91 polling stations nationwide.
Shortages affected areas including multiple districts in Seoul, with some stations extending hours into the evening as emergency supplies arrived. Protests erupted, including demonstrations in Daegu and Seoul, with calls for investigations, resignations and even by-elections in affected areas.
National Election Commission Chairman Rho Tae-ak and Secretary General Heo Chul-hoon resigned in the aftermath, accepting responsibility. An external expert panel was formed to investigate causes, and the presidential office announced plans for a broader overhaul of election procedures.
President Lee Jae-myung described the incident as “shocking,” noting its damage to South Korea’s reputation as a model democracy. Constitutional complaints have been filed, raising questions about voting rights violations.
Context of the June 3 Local Elections
The elections served as a key test for the ruling Democratic Party and President Lee’s administration. Exit polls suggested strong performances for the ruling party in many races, though results in key areas like Busan remained competitive. Turnout and logistics challenges added complexity to an already high-stakes vote.
South Korea’s National Election Commission, an independent body, oversees all aspects of electoral administration. Its track record has generally been viewed positively for transparency, but recent events have fueled calls for accountability and structural changes.
The leave spike is not new but gains significance when paired with logistical failures. Historical data shows fluctuations tied to election cycles: lower during off-years around 130-150, then rising before major polls. This pattern has prompted repeated political scrutiny.
Broader Implications for Electoral Integrity
Analysts note that while staff absences may not directly cause ballot shortages, they contribute to perceptions of under-resourcing and poor planning. With over 14,000 polling stations nationwide, effective staffing is critical for smooth operations.
The commission has acknowledged the need for reform. Printing thresholds were reduced over years — from 80% in 2009 to 50% this cycle — based on internal decisions without full commission review in some cases, according to reports. This has intensified debates over risk assessment and contingency planning.
Public reactions include protests demanding fact-finding investigations and punishment for responsible officials. Some groups organized symbolic “democracy funerals” to highlight perceived failures. The controversy has also sparked online discussions and calls from civic groups for greater oversight.
Reform Proposals and Future Outlook
Proposed legislation to limit leave during election periods aims to address one visible symptom. Broader reforms under discussion include enhanced contingency printing, better supply chain management for ballots and improved coordination with local commissions.
The independent nature of the commission provides insulation from direct political control but also raises questions about internal accountability mechanisms. Experts suggest balancing autonomy with stronger performance standards and external audits.
As South Korea prepares for future national votes, including parliamentary elections, the lessons from June 2026 will likely shape policy. The ruling party and opposition alike have expressed interest in restoring trust, though partisan differences remain on the scope of changes.
The episode underscores challenges in maintaining electoral efficiency in a technologically advanced democracy that still relies on paper ballots for transparency. Early voting continues to grow in popularity, complicating traditional planning models.
Public Trust and Democratic Resilience
South Korea has long prided itself on high-quality elections with strong turnout and minimal irregularities. The recent disruptions, while localized, have tested that reputation. Investigations are ongoing, with the commission committed to transparency in its review process.
Voters and officials alike emphasize the importance of swift corrective action. The resignations of top leaders signal accountability, but sustained reforms will be necessary to prevent recurrence. As the country navigates political polarization, robust electoral institutions remain essential for democratic legitimacy.
Moving forward, stakeholders will monitor implementation of new protocols. The combination of staff management issues and logistical shortfalls has created a moment for comprehensive evaluation, potentially strengthening the system for years to come.
For now, the focus remains on addressing immediate fallout while safeguarding voter rights. The events of June 2026 serve as a reminder that even established democracies must continually adapt to maintain public confidence in their foundational processes.
Business
Bank of Baroda shares fall 2% after Q1 earnings. Why are brokerages slashing target prices?
Bank of Baroda on Friday reported that its net interest income (NII) rose 9% YoY to Rs 12,524 crore during the April-June quarter of FY27, as against Rs 11,435 crore in the year-ago period. Operating income fell slightly to Rs 15,995 crore, while operating profit dropped 1% YoY to Rs 8,127 crore.
Total provisions and contingencies rose to Rs 6,323 crore, mainly due to the exceptional item. The bank’s global advances grew 17% YoY to Rs 14.16 lakh crore, while global deposits rose 14% YoY to Rs 16.33 lakh crore. Global net interest margin stood at 2.77% for Q1 FY27, compared with 2.91% a year earlier and 2.89% in Q4 FY26. Domestic NIM stood at 2.93%. Cost of deposits declined to 4.66%, down 12 basis points sequentially and 39 basis points year-on-year.
Bank of Baroda’s asset quality improved from a year earlier, though bad loan ratios rose sequentially. Gross NPA ratio stood at 1.99% in Q1 FY27, compared with 2.28% in Q1 FY26 and 1.89% in Q4 FY26. Net NPA ratio declined to 0.50% from 0.60% a year earlier, but was higher than 0.45% in the March quarter.
JM Financial on Bank of Baroda share price
JM Financial said Bank of Baroda reported a mixed Q1 earnings print, with a 72% plunge in profit due to an exceptional charge pertaining to the NMC Health litigation settlement. Excluding this, PAT would have grown 22% YoY, translating to an RoA of 1.1%, it noted.
Operating performance was further weighed down by weak core fee income, declining 22% YoY and missing the brokerage’s estimate by 36%, although sharply lower provisions, aided by release of standard asset provisions, supported profitability, JM Financial said. It added that advances growth came as the bank consciously ran down corporate exposures.
Sustaining RoA above 1% remains a key variable to monitor amid potential NIM pressure, continued reliance on recoveries and potentially higher credit costs following the upcoming ECL transition, the brokerage said. It cut its EPS estimates for FY27 by 5% and FY28 by 1% to factor in the NMC litigation charge, higher credit costs and moderation in fee income.
JM Financial maintained its ‘Add’ rating on the shares of Bank of Baroda, but reduced its target price to Rs 270 apiece from Rs 290. The latest target implies a 10% upside from the previous closing price of Rs 246.45 on NSE.
Also read | Bank of Baroda Q1 Results: Profit falls 72% to Rs 1,278 crore on one-off settlement hit
Motilal Oswal on Bank of Baroda share price
Motilal Oswal Financial Services said Bank of Baroda reported a muted quarter, with the one-off provision weighing on earnings. It noted that the bank expects NIMs to remain broadly in the 2.75% to 2.95% range, while cost of funds appears to have largely bottomed out, with incremental support expected from improving yields.
Business momentum was soft this quarter, with management maintaining credit growth guidance of 12% to 14% going ahead.
While there are no inherent concerns on asset quality, the brokerage expects credit costs to stay high at around 60 basis points in FY28, factoring in the ECL-related transition. It reduced earnings estimates by 18.9% for FY27 and 5.2% for FY28 due to the one-time settlement impact.
Motilal Oswal maintained its ‘Neutral’ rating but cut its target price to Rs 275, implying nearly 12% upside.
Other brokerages
Systematix Institutional Equities said that excluding the one-off item, core performance remained healthy. However, it reduced earnings estimates to factor in margin pressure and other financial factors. It cut the target price to Rs 290 from Rs 300, while maintaining a ‘Buy’ call.
Dolat Capital maintained its ‘Reduce’ rating and lowered the target price to Rs 250, implying just over 1% upside. It expects RoA to decline to 0.9% in FY28 due to lower margins and upcoming ECL provisions. Its loan growth estimate of 12% over FY27 and FY28 is also below overall banking system expectations.
Also read | NMC health settlement drags Bank of Baroda Q1 net profit down 72%
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
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Chipmaker CXMT becomes mainland China’s most valuable listed firm
Shares in China’s biggest memory chip maker have surged by more than 470% as they made their debut on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s tech-heavy STAR Market.
The surge has pushed CXMT’s stock market valuation to around 3.3 trillion yuan ($487.3bn; £364.9bn), making it the most valuable listed company in mainland China.
The spectacular debut comes despite a sharp selloff in technology stocks around the world this month.
CXMT manufactures dynamic random-access memory (Dram) chips that power artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, mobile phones, PCs, tablets and other devices.
The firm, which was founded in 2016 by Chairman Zhu Yiming, is headquartered in Hefei, Anhui Province in eastern China.
The company has said it plans to use most of the proceeds from the initial public offering (IPO) to boost production of memory chips and carry out more research and developments.
The strong performance of its IPO will offer some comfort to Chinese financial officials, who have been rolling out measures to help curb a stock market slump that wiped out more than $1.5tn in recent weeks.
South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix and US-based Micron dominate the Dram market, with the three companies accounting for around 90% of global production.
Earlier this month, SK Hynix raised $26.5bn (£19.8bn) in its New York share offering, marking the largest ever listing by a foreign firm in the US.
The company, a key supplier to AI chip giant Nvidia, said it had sold 177.9 million American depositary shares for $149 each.
The shares surged as much as 17% on Friday in their first day of trading on the Nasdaq but have since given up some of that gain.
SK Hynix saw its market value top $1tn in its home country in May, lifted by the boom in demand for AI chips.
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What I Believe Investors Are Missing With Cigna (NYSE:CI)
Wolf Report is a senior analyst and private portfolio manager with over 10 years of generating value ideas in European and North American markets, and the owner of Wolf of Value, a service focusing on international dividend-paying value investments.He further covers the markets of Scandinavia, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Eastern Europe in search of reasonably valued stock ideas.
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Business
Politics And The Markets 07/27/26
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