Kim Beom-jin, the head of the Seoul Election Commission, visited the Jamshil counting center on June 26 but withdrew after police advised him against proceeding due to safety concerns.
Kim arrived at the handball arena in Olympic Park, which is being used as the counting center, around 9 a.m. He intended to engage with citizens who had occupied the gates but left after police warned of potential safety issues.
His visit was not part of an official schedule and was not intended to retrieve ballots or other materials. Approximately 380 ballot boxes, along with ballots and voting records, remain inside the handball arena.
The blockade at the Jamshil counting center, triggered by a shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections, has now entered its 22nd day. According to real-time data from the city of Seoul, the number of citizens at Olympic Park reached a peak of 9,500 by 1 p.m., with those in their 60s making up 25.2% of the crowd.
As the protests continue, sports organizations that have been unable to access the arena's offices are expressing their frustrations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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