Lead

Thousands of protesters have rallied in Seoul over ballot shortages that disrupted last week's local elections, demanding a new election. The demonstrations, centered on the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Songpa Ward, have continued for at least nine days, according to reports.

Coverage Comparison

Reports on the protests have focused on the scale and progression of the rallies, including police estimates of crowd sizes and the blocking of the vote-counting facility's entrances. One report highlighted an unusual development: some protesters have demanded that singer and actress IU send coffee to the rally, referencing her past support for different demonstrators.

Key Claims

Protesters have been demanding a re-run of the local elections since the National Election Commission (NEC) confirmed that voting was temporarily suspended at multiple polling stations due to ballot shortages. Reports indicate that voting paused at 22 polling stations on the day of the election. The NEC has stated that the shortages neither warrant a new election nor altered the results.

Crowd sizes at the protests have varied, with unofficial police estimates ranging from about 700 protesters on the ninth day to approximately 8,000 around midnight on a Sunday. On the third day, around 3,000 people were estimated to have surrounded the facility. Protesters have blocked the stadium's entrances to prevent the removal of ballot boxes, according to a report.

President Lee Jae Myung has expressed deep regret over the incident and ordered a thorough joint investigation by prosecutors and police. On Wednesday, he urged protesters to refrain from violence against police officers, saying some behavior had "crossed the line" and calling for an end to "senseless" violence. The NEC chairman and secretary general offered their resignations, and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has proposed talks with President Lee to address the issue.

Some protesters claim the elections were fraudulent, a charge the NEC has denied. The protests have drawn participants from various age groups, with younger demonstrators more prominent on weekends and older citizens at weekday rallies.

Perspectives

Protesters

Demonstrators demand a new election, alleging that the ballot shortages indicate fraud. They have maintained a presence outside the vote-counting facility, blocking entrances and chanting slogans like "Revote!" and "The vote is invalid!"

President Lee Jae Myung

President Lee has expressed regret over the shortages, promised a thorough probe, and called for peaceful protest, condemning violence and abuse directed at police.

National Election Commission

NEC has acknowledged the ballot shortages and the temporary suspension of voting but maintains that the issues do not invalidate the election results. Its chairman and secretary general offered to resign.

Main Opposition People Power Party

The PPP has escalated calls for a new election and proposed talks with President Lee. PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said a parliamentary probe, special counsel probe, or replacing NEC officials would not quell public anger, according to a report.