Despite Mediation by People Power Party Lawmakers, Sports Organizations Fail to Enter Blockaded Venue

[Anchor]

Sports organizations attempted to enter the Olympic Park stadium in Seoul this morning, June 16, where protests have been ongoing following the ballot paper shortage incident. However, the attempt ultimately failed. Although the situation appeared to be de-escalating after People Power Party lawmakers visited the site to mediate, some protesters blocked the entrance again, forcing officials from the sports organizations to withdraw.

Reporter Jeong Jiyeon has the story.

[Reporter]

This is the handball stadium at Olympic Park in Seoul, which has been under a blockade protest for 12 days, serving as a vote-counting center for the June 3 local elections.

Around 9:00 a.m. today, members of sports organizations housed in the stadium attempted to enter the facility, leading to a standoff with protesters.

[Official from a sports organization: Please let us take our things out. Please. We are just trying to enter our own facility; why are you blocking us?]

Around 1:30 p.m., People Power Party lawmakers, including leader Jang Dong-hyeok, stepped in to mediate. An agreement appeared to have been reached for representatives of the sports organizations and some broadcasting staff to enter the stadium and retrieve their equipment, but the plan ultimately fell through.

This was because some protesters resisted and blocked the way.

During the standoff this morning, the police issued three repeated warnings, stating, "Obstructing officials from the Korea Sports Council from entering the stadium could be subject to investigation."

As the stadium, which had been used as a vote-counting center, remains blockaded due to protests following the ballot paper shortage, the sports organizations held their second press conference yesterday. They appealed for help, stating that "the livelihoods of coaches and athletes are at stake," and requested the intervention of public authority.

It has been reported that the national fencing team, which departed for the Asian Championships in India today, eventually had to borrow equipment on their own before leaving the country.

(Video reporting: Yang Ji-hoon, Kim Young-hwan | Video editing: Choi Hye-ran)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.