Lee Jae-myung said on the 15th that, regarding protests condemning the National Election Commission's "June 3 local elections ballot paper shortage incident," he had ordered police to conduct a strict investigation into those who committed obstruction of business by force, including "acts such as restricting civilian access by the protesters," as well as any accomplices. The move aims to prevent public anger and criticism over the commission's overall mismanagement of the election from turning into hard-line protests claiming electoral fraud.
While touring Europe to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit, Lee on the day introduced on X (formerly Twitter) a report titled "Jamsil lockdown puts international competition participation at risk," writing, "Protesters must refrain so that their expression of opinion does not infringe on others' rights."
The article Lee shared says that protesters condemning the recent ballot paper shortage incident have blocked the counting center at the Handball Gymnasium in Olympic Park in Seoul, restricting even civilian access and causing damage. It says protesters have blocked entry for staff of sports organizations, stalling work related to various championships, and that delays in administrative preparations have raised concerns that national team athletes will be unable to compete in international events.
On the 11th, nine organizations, including the Korea Handball Federation and the Korea Fencing Federation and the Korea Underwater Finswimming Federation under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), which have offices inside the Handball Gymnasium, said at a news conference, "(Due to the protesters' interference) preparations for competing in international events have stopped, and we are unable to administer national qualification exams," adding, "Athletes and the public are being harmed." As the groups prepared the briefing that day, agitated protesters pulled out microphone cables or threatened organization staff before being restrained by police.
Earlier, at a May 8 news conference marking his first year in office, Lee ordered the truth of the incident to be determined, and a joint investigative headquarters of prosecutors and police was promptly formed. In the National Assembly, there are also calls for legal and constitutional amendments for reforms at the level of "dismantling the election commission." However, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok is attending protests led by hard-line supporters who claim a "comprehensive fraudulent election" and is demanding by-elections.