Election protesters agree to allow sports officials to enter ballot-counting center

Protesters, who demand a rerun of the June 3 local elections marred by ballot shortages, block sports officials from entering their offices housed inside the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Seoul's southern Songpa Ward, Tuesday. Yonhap

Election protesters agreed Tuesday to allow sports officials inside a gymnasium used as a ballot-counting center for the June 3 local elections, potentially ending a 12-day standoff between the sides, the leader of the main opposition party said.

Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) announced the deal after meeting with the protesters in front of the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in southern Seoul, where they have been demanding a rerun of the elections tainted by unprecedented ballot shortages at 26 voting stations across the nation.

Officials from sports organizations under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee have been unable to access their offices inside the gymnasium since June 5, when the protesters began the blockade to prevent the removal of ballot boxes that were brought there for vote counting. The vote count for the local elections has already been completed.

Under the agreement with the organizations and the police, two members per organization will be able to enter the gym at a time to retrieve items they need for their work, Jang said.

The entire process will be broadcast live under the oversight of PPP lawmakers and the protesters will be allowed to check the recovered items, he added.

Earlier Tuesday, police made three broadcasts warning the protesters of criminal punishment for obstruction of business.

Jang and other PPP lawmakers arrived at the site to deescalate tensions.