Two ballot boxes left at Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul—where a "ballot paper shortage incident" occurred during the 9th nationwide local elections held simultaneously (the June 3 local elections)—were moved to the counting center on the morning of the 5th. Police forced their way in to disperse demonstrators who were blocking the removal of the ballot boxes and secured the boxes after a physical clash.
At about 8:50 a.m. that day, police dispersed the demonstrators occupying the front of the polling station and loaded the two ballot boxes onto a return vehicle. Police entered through the rear gate of the senior center at Woosung Apartment, where Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong was set up.
To block the police, protesters lay down, holding on to each other's bodies. They shouted "warrant, warrant" at the police and demanded that a warrant be presented. Police dragged them out one by one and, after about 40 minutes, secured the passage at the senior center's rear gate.
Earlier, at about 7:50 a.m., police asked the protesters to disperse voluntarily. Police warned, "At the request of the National Election Commission to help maintain order at the scene, we are trying to secure a passage for the ballot box return vehicle," and added, "If you shove or assault officers taking necessary measures, you may be punished."
They continued, "You may also be punished if you assault, threaten, or confine people engaged in election duties, or damage election-related facilities and equipment such as ballot papers and voting aids."
However, the protesters shouted "Investigate the election commission" and did not comply with the police request to disperse.
After police took out the ballot boxes that day, protesters raised their voices, saying, "Let's go to the counting center and stop the opening of the boxes." Some protesters went inside the polling station and took photos of remaining supplies. Noting that a voter list cross-check sheet remained, they argued, "Personal information was left like this."
Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong is one of 14 polling stations in Seoul where a ballot paper shortage occurred on the 3rd. This polling station extended voting hours for voters who had received a voter list cross-check sheet from the originally scheduled 6 p.m. on the 3rd to 10 p.m. Afterward, some residents and protesters blocked the transfer of the ballot boxes, and the boxes were not moved to the counting center overnight.