Protests Over Ballot Shortages Continue for 11th Day
SEOUL — Protests demanding a rerun of South Korea's June 3 local elections, marred by ballot shortages, continued for the eleventh day on Monday, with the number of demonstrators sharply declining from the weekend, according to Yonhap News Agency.
About 200 protesters were rallying around the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul's southern ward of Songpa as of 10 a.m., based on an unofficial police estimate, Yonhap reported. As many as 20,000 people had gathered in the area over the weekend, the wire service noted.
The protesters have been camped outside the gymnasium, which served as a ballot counting site, since June 5, days after ballot shortages at some polling stations, mostly in Seoul, disrupted voting during the local elections, Yonhap reported.
Government and Ruling Party Take Stern Stance
On Wednesday, the government and the ruling Democratic Party (DP) reaffirmed that illegal acts in the protests will not be tolerated, vowing a stern response, Yonhap reported. The message came as protesters in Jamsil continued to demand a rerun of the mayoral and gubernatorial elections, which saw voting suspended at 26 polling stations nationwide due to a lack of ballot papers.
While taking a hard line against illegal acts, the government and DP appeared to be pursuing a "two-track" approach, engaging with young voters who have called for a peaceful resolution, according to Yonhap.
President Lee Jae Myung wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that he has instructed police to "sternly investigate protesters who block civilians," and urged demonstrators to refrain from infringing on the rights of others while expressing their views, Yonhap reported.
DP spokesperson Park Hae-cheol echoed the call, saying violent actions at some sites will "never be tolerated." He emphasized that "this is clearly an illegal act that goes beyond freedom of expression," adding that "the right to raise an issue and acts of infringing upon other people's freedom should be clearly differentiated," as quoted by Yonhap.
Police Warnings and Blockades
Park Jeong-bo, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, warned that protesters could face tough punishment if they engage in illegal activities, Yonhap reported. He told reporters that protesters who searched through personal belongings of the national women's youth handball team at the stadium will face charges of aggravated coercion, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
The protesters have blocked the gymnasium's entrances to prevent election officials from removing ballot boxes, and the blockade has prevented sports organizations based in the building from entering their offices, according to Yonhap.
Election Commission's Position
The National Election Commission (NEC) apologized for the ballot shortages but said the incident does not warrant a rerun under election law, Yonhap reported. A joint team of police investigators and prosecutors has been investigating the NEC over the shortages, the wire service added.
According to the NEC, voting was temporarily suspended at 26 polling stations across the nation, and some voters reportedly returned home without casting their votes due to the lack of ballot papers, Yonhap reported.
Public Opinion and Reform Efforts
A survey on a potential rerun showed that 51 percent of respondents thought a rerun is excessive, Yonhap reported, citing a poll. The survey's methodology and sample size were not detailed in the report.
Earlier this week, the Office for Government Policy Coordination held a public debate to discuss ways to reform the national election watchdog, aiming to listen to the opinions of young people and experts, according to Yonhap.