Protesters block Seoul vote-counting venue for fourth day as rally mood shifts

SEOUL, June 08 (AJP) - A protest blocking the entrance to a vote-counting venue for the local elections that took place last week in Seoul entered its fourth day on Monday, as demonstrators gathered outside the handball stadium at Olympic Park in the southern Seoul district of Songpa. Police estimated around 1,600 people remained at the scene, maintaining a blockade of the facility.
   
The crowd had peaked the previous day, swelling from 3,000 at noon to 20,000 by 6 p.m. before thinning overnight. Some participants stayed through the night, vowing to prevent ballot boxes from being removed, and blocked all ten entrances to the counting venue. Authorities had been expected to forcibly disperse the crowd Monday morning, but as of Monday afternoon no such action had been taken.
   
The protest, which began June 5 following a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections, shifted noticeably in tone on Monday. Over the previous three days, organizers had discouraged the display of American flags and chants alleging electoral fraud, in an effort to broaden the rally's appeal. On Monday, however, demonstrators waved American flags and homemade Korean flags, held handmade signs, and chanted "fraudulent election, hold a new election" without pause. Participants spanning their twenties through their sixties were present.
             

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