Parliamentary committee conducts on-site inspection over ballot shortages

A parliamentary committee inspected a sealed ballot counting site in southern Seoul on Thursday after police cleared protesters who had blocked access to the venue for nearly a month over ballot shortages in the June 3 local elections.

The inspection at Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu lasted about 40 minutes and marked the first time lawmakers entered the site since protesters began blocking the arena 27 days ago.

The gymnasium has been inaccessible since June 5, when two ballot boxes from the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong were belatedly moved there for counting after ballot shortages were reported on election day. Protesters have since blocked the venue, demanding a special counsel investigation into what they claim was an infringement of voting rights.

About 380 ballot boxes and 2.47 million ballots from across Songpa-gu remain inside the arena, along with voting records, early voting records, ballot storage boxes, counting records, vote-counting equipment and rented computers and printers, according to officials.

Committee members entered the building at around 1:10 p.m. and moved to the basement, where election-related materials are being stored. They inspected how the ballot boxes were secured, reviewed storage procedures and checked the locations of cameras and other security arrangements.

But the committee did not open any ballot boxes or verify the number of ballots. No election materials were removed from the site.

Police officers moved protesters away from the entrance one by one before the lawmakers entered. Police had warned that refusing safety instructions or assaulting or threatening officers could lead to charges of obstruction of official duty.

One participant was taken away by emergency responders after complaining of a foot injury during the police operation. Police said no protesters were detained.

Tensions rose near the entrance as some participants shouted at police and argued with others at the scene. The atmosphere eased after lawmakers and police secured access to the building.

Police deployed about 2,000 personnel to the site.

The prolonged blockade has disrupted the use of one of the country’s main sports arenas. The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee and other sports organizations had called for government intervention after being unable to use the venue.

The main opposition People Power Party has criticized the Lee Jae Myung administration over the ballot shortage incident and called for a special counsel investigation and reform of the National Election Commission. Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok visited the Songpa-gu site last week and encouraged those gathered there.

Hard-right figures who have promoted election fraud claims, including Hwang Kyo-ahn, head of the Freedom & Innovation Party, also appeared at the scene Thursday.

Police are investigating 139 people in connection with 58 alleged illegal acts at the site, including assault, threats, insults and obstruction of official duty.