People Power Party chair Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok holds a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sunday. (Yonhap) Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, chair of the main opposition People Power Party, on Sunday escalated his demands for an election do-over after the ballot shortage incident, citing ongoing protests.“The people want a reelection. Attempting to gloss over the matter with a parliamentary investigation, push it aside with a special counsel recommended by the ruling party, or end it by replacing only a few election commission staff members, they will never be able to quell the public anger that has spread like wildfire," Jang said in a press conference on Sunday.Jang argued that the issue was “not a problem limited to one or two places,” adding, “Nor is it something that should exclude districts where our People Power Party candidates won. The question of a new election has already moved beyond the stage where political parties decide based on advantage or disadvantage.”Regarding the protest in front of the vote-counting center at Olympic Park, he said, “Who calls these people ‘protesters’? Who dares call this situation a ‘disturbance’?”He added, “This is an orderly civic resistance movement. Olympic Park has already become a sacred site of democracy.”A large number of voters gathered outside the stadium, preventing the ballots from being transported.The protest was sparked by a ballot shortage during the June 3 local and parliamentary by-elections. Although the National Election Commission extended the voting hours at affected polling stations, opposition party figures and voters have been calling for another election.“The voices that began in Jamsil are spreading across the country like wildfire,” Jang continued. “Citizens calling for a new election are voluntarily rising up and taking to the streets in every part of the country.”Jang also demanded an immediate meeting with President Lee Jae-myung.“I want to meet the president in person, convey the voices of citizens, and hear a responsible answer from him,” he said. “Today would be fine. Any format would be acceptable. If he irresponsibly leaves on an overseas trip while leaving all these problems unresolved, he will face even greater public resistance.”Jang went further, saying, “Early voting, which half of the public distrusts, should also be abolished.”“One option would be to abolish early voting and extend the main voting period to three days,” he said.While calls for an election do-over have largely come from conservative bloc hardliners, developments from Election Day continue to spread across the political arena.The ruling Democratic Party of Korea has said it will push for a parliamentary audit, while the prime minister called for a thorough investigation.On Friday, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said he would order a criminal investigation into the issue, stressing that all measures — including an independent counsel probe — would be considered.