Protesters who had previously blocked the Jamsil 7-dong polling station have now moved to the vote counting center, increasing their numbers significantly.
According to Yonhap News on June 5, while police deployed around 1,000 officers to transport the ballot boxes, the protesters occupied the entrance area of the counting center, effectively trapping about 100 election officials, facility staff, and journalists who had completed their work.
The crowd gathered around the Olympic Park Handball Stadium, starting with 300 in the morning and swelling to 2,000 by the afternoon. Although the stadium has a total of eight entrances across its two floors, the protesters have positioned themselves at all entrances, effectively blocking access to the building.
Even after the counting concluded, access remained restricted, forcing some staff to exit through windows. The protesters allowed movement only after verifying identities, and reports indicate that restrictions were tightened for certain media outlets.
The demonstrators are demanding a re-election, asserting that they cannot accept the counting results. They are actively encouraging participation through related online channels to expand their numbers.
Previously, the Jamsil 7-dong polling station experienced delays on the day of the local elections due to a shortage of ballots, which extended the closing time. Subsequently, the protesters prevented the removal of ballot boxes, causing a delay of approximately 35 hours in transporting them to the counting center.
On this day, police deployed about 1,000 riot officers to disperse the protesters and secure the ballot boxes.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.