Officials from sports organizations with offices at the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, agreed with People Power Party lawmakers on the afternoon of the 16th to enter the building in sequence. If entry is secured, they will be able to return to their offices for the first time in about two weeks.
A "blockade protest" has continued in front of the Handball Gymnasium, which was used as the ballot-counting center for the 9th nationwide local elections (June 3 local elections) and afterward during a shortage of ballot papers.
Officials from nine sport federations with offices at the Handball Gymnasium, including the Korea Handball Federation, arranged a plan to enter the building through Gate 2-1 at about 2:16 p.m. that day.
Protesters blocked entry until the morning of the day. But an agreement was reached after People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok mediated. They agreed that police and People Power Party lawmakers would accompany the group and that broadcast camera reporters would air the process live.
They also agreed to allow protesters to check items that sports organization staff bring out from their offices.
The nine sports organizations based at the Handball Gymnasium have demanded access, saying their work has been paralyzed by the prolonged blockade. They also appealed for cooperation, saying preparations for international competitions were being disrupted. Protesters have restricted entry since the 5th, saying they needed to guard ballot boxes and other materials inside the Handball Gymnasium.