Minister Jung Sung-ho of the Ministry of Justice said on the 16th, in connection with the rally underway at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, amid the ballot paper shortage situation, that "we will respond sternly to excessive deviations and illegal acts committed by some, using the public's legitimate anger over the infringement of suffrage as a pretext."
The Minister said in a Facebook post that day, "Freedom of expression and assembly does not come with the right to threaten and mock others, or to conduct private ID checks or impose sanctions," adding the same point.
He went on, "The indiscriminate private ID checks and threats, de facto confinement and baseless scapegoating of Chinese people, and obstruction of business carried out by some people at Olympic Park against police, ordinary citizens, reporters, sports association staff, and athletes are all clearly illegal acts and subject to punishment as crimes in the act."
The Minister said, "I understand police have already launched investigations into coercion and assault against national team athletes and reporters," adding, "We will do our utmost for indictment and punishment."
He wrote, "The Ministry of Justice respects the public's legitimate expression of opinion," and "we will do our best to restore full suffrage."
At the Handball Gymnasium in Olympic Park, which served as a ballot counting center during the June 3 local elections, a "blockade protest" has entered its 12th day. Some demonstrators blocked members of the women's youth national handball team and forcibly searched their belongings. They also branded protesters who insisted on chanting only "re-election" and opposed slogans of "rigged election" as "Korea University Advancement Association (Da jin yeon) moles," a left-wing group.
Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), held a press conference the previous day and requested the exercise of public authority as the inability to access the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium dragged on. According to the sports committee, administrative work has been effectively paralyzed because staff cannot enter the sports administration area inside the Handball Gymnasium, halting support for national teams and preparations for international competitions.
Ryu said, "We in the sports community respect the freedom of assembly and demonstration guaranteed by the Constitution, but no right should be exercised in a way that infringes on the rights of other citizens and public functions."
On the 14th (local time), the president said at a senior secretaries' meeting he chaired by video from a hotel in Rome, Italy, "Shouldn't we respond sternly to private ID checks and obstruction of business using force?"
Meanwhile, as People Power Party figures, including leader Jang Dong-hyeok, arrived at Olympic Park to support the protesters and began a sit-in, employees of sports organizations attempted to enter the arena on the morning of the day but failed.