Employees affiliated with the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee arrived at the venue in Seoul's Songpa district shortly after 9 a.m. and tried to negotiate entry through Gate 2-1 with demonstrators occupying the facility.
A compromise proposal, under which equal numbers of protesters, police officers and employees would monitor activities inside the building, briefly gained support among some demonstrators but collapsed after others strongly objected.
The employees were again denied access, and police later withdrew from the scene.
Songpa Police issued two warnings during the morning, saying that preventing employees from entering their workplace could constitute obstruction of business under criminal law.
Police also asked demonstrators to cooperate so staff members could return to their offices, but the occupation continued.
The facility houses offices used by multiple sports organizations under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, leaving dozens of employees unable to access their workplaces.
Last week, employees publicly appealed for a return to normal operations. "We respect your right to protest. But we ask that you also respect our workplace. We want to return to our jobs," a group representing the workers said in a statement.
The employees described themselves as "ordinary office workers who have diligently carried out their duties every day and supported Korean sports."
Some said colleagues trapped inside during the early stages of the occupation had to climb out through windows to leave the building, while others attempting to enter were subjected to identification checks, bag inspections and verbal abuse.
Workers also said they had been prevented from retrieving essential administrative items such as one-time password devices used for banking transactions, corporate credit cards and official seals, even when they offered to collect them under protesters' supervision.
Sports organizations warned that disruptions are beginning to affect national certification examinations, preparations for international competitions and training support for athletes ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said it respects citizens' right to peaceful assembly but stressed that minimum access to workplaces and administrative functions must be guaranteed to prevent further disruption to national sports programs.
The prolonged occupation is also presenting authorities with a growing dilemma: how to balance freedom of expression with the rights of unrelated workers and organizations caught in the middle of a political protest.
For the employees still waiting outside their offices, however, the issue has become more immediate. "Why do we have to be the ones paying the price?" one worker said during last week's appeal.
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