Police enter Olympic Park gymnasium after 95-day election protest blockade

Police made it into the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium on Tuesday, 95 days after protesters began blocking access to the venue over ballot shortages during the June 3 local elections.

At 9 a.m., police removed signs calling for a re-election over alleged election fraud and tents set up in front of Gates 2 and 3 of the gymnasium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, as they forced open the doors to the venue. While some protesters objected, police entered at around 9:12 a.m. without any serious clashes.

Police entered at the request of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, which operates offices inside the gymnasium.

Election officials then entered the venue, which also served as a ballot-counting center during the June 3 local elections. Officials from sports organizations under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee are also entering to retrieve work materials from their offices.

People have been protesting over alleged election fraud after a shortage of ballots was reported at a polling station in Jamsil 7-dong in Songpa District during the June 3 local elections. Protesters first gathered in front of the polling station, with police deploying riot police on June 5 to disperse protesters, secure ballot boxes in the venue and allow the vote count to proceed.

Protesters then gathered at the nearby gymnasium, which served as the ballot counting center for Songpa District, the same day and began blocking access to the venue. They have been preventing ballots and other election materials from being removed from the venue, saying they cannot accept the election results.

BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]