The 12-day demonstration outside the Handball Stadium at Seoul's Olympic Park escalated Tuesday when police and Korea Sport & Olympic Committee officials failed to enter the building after protesters blocked access.
The move drew sharp criticism from the ruling Democratic Party, which accused conservatives of exploiting a legitimate voting-rights issue to advance broader election challenges.
At around 9 a.m., police officers and Korea Sport & Olympic Committee personnel attempted to enter the Handball Stadium, which had served as a vote-counting center during the local elections, to retrieve equipment needed for daily operations.
Protesters blocked entrances and refused to move despite repeated warnings.
Police stressed that the operation was not intended to forcibly disperse demonstrators but to facilitate access for authorized personnel.
Songpa police issued three separate warnings, saying obstructing officials carrying out their duties could constitute interference with official business.
Participants gathered in front of the entrances waving South Korean flags, chanting, "No election fraud, revote, same-day voting and manual counting," and occasionally singing the national anthem. Numerous placards criticizing election authorities lined the area, while photojournalists rotated through the site documenting developments.
"I've joined the protest for three days. We've all been peaceful. I cannot understand why the police are here," said a woman in her 60s.
The prolonged blockade has increasingly disrupted the operations of nine sports federations housed inside the facility.
The national fencing team departed Monday for the Asian Championships in New Delhi without being able to retrieve equipment stored in its offices, forcing athletes to borrow personal gear before leaving for India.
The Korea Underwater & Fin Swimming Federation has also reported difficulties retrieving training materials needed to prepare for the upcoming World Fin Swimming Championships in Incheon.
On Sunday, Korea Sport & Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min called for police intervention, warning that financial losses had reached 6 billion won and preparations for next year's Asian Games were being jeopardized.
"While we respect the constitutional right to assembly and protest, no right should be exercised in a manner that infringes upon the rights of others or impairs public functions," Yoo said.
The issue escalated further after PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok arrived at the scene and condemned the attempted police entry.
"The authorities have crossed the line, and crossed it severely," Jang wrote earlier on social media before heading to Olympic Park.
Calling on supporters to gather, he said, "I am going there now. Citizens, please join us. Let us protect our freedom and democracy together."
Speaking at a cabinet meeting Monday, Kim said the government respected citizens' right to raise concerns over infringements on voting rights but rejected actions that infringed upon the rights of others.
"It is impossible to justify privately controlling access for people who are legally authorized to enter their workplaces," Kim said. "If I am going to my own office, why should I be subject to inspections by private individuals? It is no surprise that the sports chief had to request public authority intervention."
He instructed police to immediately act against illegal activities, collect evidence and ensure sports officials could safely access their workplaces.
President Lee Jae Myung, who is on a European tour, also ordered a strict response. "Protests are a legitimate means of expressing opinions, but they must not infringe on the rights of others," Lee wrote on social media Sunday.
He instructed police to thoroughly investigate not only those directly involved in obstructing operations but also anyone suspected of coordinating such activities.
What appeared to be a breakthrough brokered by Jang to allow sports federation employees back into their offices collapsed when a woman in her 20s refused to budge, clinging to a tape-bound gate and single-handedly blocking access to the Jamsil vote-counting center.
Jang told reporters at around 4 p.m. that he had instructed sports federation employees to withdraw because entry was no longer possible, ending mediation efforts just two hours after he had announced a compromise.
Under the proposal, two staff members from each sports organization would have been allowed to enter their offices in stages to retrieve work materials, accompanied by People Power Party lawmakers and television cameras broadcasting the process live.
Many protesters initially appeared to accept the arrangement, and preparations for entry had been completed before the woman began resisting at the gate.
Lawmakers and several protesters spent nearly two hours attempting to persuade her, but she refused to move, forcing Jang to abandon the effort altogether.
The collapse of the deal quickly triggered infighting among demonstrators, with shouting matches and profanity erupting between protesters over whether the blockade should continue.
Police later arrested a man in his 40s on suspicion of aggravated assault after he allegedly attacked another protester with a stone. The woman blocking the entrance was not charged.
At the end of the day, employees of sports federations and Yoo Seung-min, who had hoped to retrieve documents and resume work after 12 days of disruption, left the scene visibly disappointed.
Protesters have blocked access to the facility, insisting that ballot boxes used in the June 3 local elections should not be removed until their concerns over ballot shortages and election procedures are fully addressed.
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