Protests demanding a rerun election, sparked by a ballot paper shortage during the main voting of the 9th nationwide local elections (June 3 local elections), continued for a second day around the Olympic Park ballot-counting site in Songpa District, Seoul.

According to unofficial police estimates and other sources on the 6th, about 10,000 protesters had gathered as of 6 p.m. around the Olympic Park handball arena where the counting site was set up. The crowd, which had been around 1,000 at 6 a.m., grew sharply in the afternoon.

Citizens protesting the shortage of ballot papers in the June 3 local elections gather in front of the Jamsil Olympic Park Handball Arena counting center in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 6th, chanting for a rerun of the election. /Courtesy of News1

Mos Tan (Korean name Dan Hyun-myeong), a professor at Liberty University in the United States who has raised suspicions of election fraud, visited the scene and said, "Why were people's voting rights, which should have been exercised across the country, taken away? Why were there not enough ballots?" Tan is currently under investigation on charges of defaming President Lee Jae-myung and is under a travel ban.

Hwang Kyo-ahn, head of Liberty and Innovation, also attended the rally. Around 8 p.m., Hwang posted on his social media (SNS), saying, "Police have not yet entered the Jamsil handball arena, but early morning is vulnerable," and added, "Let's hold out a little longer."

Protesters sang the national anthem and chanted slogans such as "rerun election" and "invalidate fraudulent election at the source," while monitoring to prevent ballot boxes from being taken out of the counting site. Food and drinks prepared by protesters and supporters were distributed at the scene.

As HYBE's "2026 Weverse Con Festival" was held simultaneously at the nearby Olympic Gymnastics Arena (KSPO Dome) and the 88 Lawn Field, festivalgoers and protesters mingled.

Citizens protesting the shortage of ballot papers in the June 3 local elections march around the Jamsil counting center at the Olympic Park Handball Arena in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 6th. A K-pop concert is held that day at the KSPO Dome and the 88 Lawn Field right next to the counting center. /Courtesy of News1

According to Seoul's real-time city data, the real-time population inside Olympic Park stood at 40,000 to 42,000 as of 9 p.m. People in their 20s accounted for the largest share at 35.0%, followed by those in their 30s (23.6%), 40s (12.7%), teens and younger (12.6%), 50s (9.2%), and 60s and older (7.1%).

After the ballot counting ended the previous day, election commission officials and reporters were unable to leave the counting site for a while as protesters occupied the entrances. It is reported that election commission staff have since left the site. The commission said it is difficult to verify the facts.

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