Police Launch Investigation Into Handball Team Harassment and Reporter Assault at Vote Counting Site

The police have launched an investigation into incidents involving the search of the junior women's national handball team's belongings and the assault of a journalist near the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium, a vote counting site in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

The National Police Agency announced in a press release today (June 12) that "in the case of the junior women's national handball team, an investigation was initiated on June 10, and after identifying one of the individuals involved, a summons was issued today."

Police have identified a total of three individuals involved in the incident so far. One of them has been identified as a woman, and charges of coercion have been applied.

The police are continuing efforts to identify the remaining participants.

Previously, on June 8, the athletes, who were attempting to remove training equipment from the venue ahead of a tournament, faced difficulties entering and exiting as they were blocked by protesters.

During this process, it was reported that some protesters demanded to inspect the athletes' belongings, claiming they needed to check if there were any ballots inside their bags.

Regarding the assault on the journalist, the police have identified two women and one man as the perpetrators and are currently tracking their whereabouts.

The police stated, "We will actively support, protect, and ensure that citizens can express their opinions legitimately regarding the infringement of voting rights without inconvenience." They added, "However, we plan to strictly investigate any illegal acts that undermine democratic order, such as abusing these situations to obstruct the free movement or access of others, or defaming or insulting police officers."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.