On the morning of the 8th, in front of the handball arena at Olympic Park in Songpa District, Seoul. Protesters repeatedly shouted "re-election" and "rigged election." The protest, sparked by a shortage of ballots during the 9th nationwide local elections held simultaneously (the June 3 local elections), entered its fourth day.
As of 12 p.m. that day, police estimated about 1,800 people at the rally. After the weekday morning commute and school hours passed, the crowd thinned compared with the previous night. But those who remained kept their chants going while guarding the area around the handball arena. One participant said, "Since it's a weekday, many people in their 20s and 30s have left, but they'll gather again after work."
The protest intensified after the ballot box from the Jamsil 7-dong No. 2 polling station was transported to the handball arena at Olympic Park, where the Songpa District counting site had been set up. Even after the count ended, participants said "there were problems with the election procedures" and have refused to leave.
◇"No leading force"… notices of "voluntary participation" posted throughout
Notices reading "a voluntary citizens' rally" were posted throughout Olympic Park. Handwritten placards on site read, "We are ordinary citizens," "We came to call for a re-election," and "No political slogans other than re-election."
The placards also said, "Do not use printouts or placards," "Use only paper written by hand," and "We have not received any instructions." They drew a line between themselves and political parties or groups, stressing voluntary individual participation. There were also notices saying, "No financial support accepted," "No profanity, arguments, or wrongdoing," and "Please respect police shift changes."
Jeong Eun-ae, 51, wearing a volunteer name tag at the site, said, "There is no separate leader," adding, "We are all gathered here as individual citizens to protect our rights." Other participants said this was "not a political rally but a suffrage issue," calling for a fact-finding probe into the ballot shortage.
Some at the scene said the atmosphere had changed from the weekend. One participant who had remained since the weekend said, "Even yesterday, the prevailing mood was to shout only 're-election' and not say 'rigged election,'" adding, "But as many people in their 20s and 30s left on weekday mornings, the 'rigged election' chant grew louder."
◇Clashes over access to the handball arena… youth national team briefly blocked
The ballot counting had wrapped up, but tensions around the handball arena persisted. Protesters reacted sensitively to issues over access to the arena where the counting site had been installed.
Around 10 a.m. that day, when the women's youth national handball team tried to retrieve equipment stored inside the arena, some participants blocked them. The players pleaded, "Please," asking to be let in, and were eventually allowed into the arena. However, their belongings were checked as they came out.
The youth national team is set to compete at the 25th Women's Junior World Championship (U20), which opens on the 24th in Jinzhong, Shanxi, China. A team official said, "We haven't been able to train since last Thursday," adding, "We were only trying to pick up balls, shoes, and other items inside the arena."
There was also an argument over covering the arena windows with yellow packing tape. One participant stopped it, saying, "If this is reported as property damage, it could give grounds to disperse the rally." Another participant, however, raised their voice, suspecting the person trying to stop it was affiliated with a progressive-leaning group.
◇"This won't end with the Chairperson's resignation"… growing calls to hold the election commission accountable
Among participants, many said that the resignation of Central Election Commission Chairperson Roh Tae-ak alone would not resolve the situation. Separate from investigations by prosecutors and police, there were also calls for an external audit of the election commission and for institutional reforms.
Noh Su-young, 46, who said they had been at the site since the protest in front of the Jamsil 7-dong No. 2 polling station, said, "If President Lee Jae-myung and the heads of the four branches of power do not meet and decide on a re-election, it's empty talk," adding, "People will not leave the scene without a re-election."
Seo Kang-seok, the Songpa District chief who won re-election in the June 3 local elections, also visited the site and said a responsible explanation was needed. Seo said, "The election commission Chairperson must come in person and give an answer on whether it was a rigged election or a sloppy election," adding, "Even the central government must send a message on how it will reform the election commission for citizens to be convinced."