Lawmakers Forced to Retreat Amid Jeers; Police Investigate Woman Who Blocked Gym Access

[Anchor]

Following the People Power Party yesterday, Democratic Party lawmakers visited the vote-counting station at Olympic Park in Seoul today, but were forced to turn back after just 10 minutes due to backlash from protesters. Police are set to launch an investigation into a woman who blocked the entrance to a sports organization's office yesterday.

Kwon Min-kyu reports.

[Reporter]

It has been 13 days since the blockade protest began at the handball stadium vote-counting station in Seoul's Olympic Park.

Democratic Party lawmakers Cheon Jun-ho, Jeon Yong-gi, and Lim Oh-kyung, a former handball player, visited the protest site.

As they approached Gate 2-1, where sports organizations attempted to enter yesterday, the protesters strongly resisted.

[Why are you here! Why!]

Lawmaker Cheon stated, "The ruling and opposition parties will work together to ensure the truth is uncovered through a parliamentary investigation into electoral management reform," but his remarks were met with no response.

[Cheon Jun-ho/Democratic Party Lawmaker: I respect your voices in protecting the right to vote. However, I believe the activities of the sports association must be guaranteed.]

Jeers and insults were shouted at them, and they turned back after 10 minutes.

[Rigged election! Rigged election!]

Protesters continued their sit-in at various locations around the handball stadium today, monitoring the entry of outsiders.

Despite the police warning of a stern response, including the phrase "ruin one's life," nothing has changed.

Although it appeared that an agreement had been reached when the People Power Party leadership stepped in yesterday, the effort was rendered futile as a female protester blocked the door.

[Park Dae-chul/People Power Party Lawmaker (Yesterday): (The sports association) will not have any access to the ballot boxes. (We don't trust you!)]

With no unified communication channel and no clear organizers, hard-won agreements frequently return to square one.

[Protester: We have no leader. We should help them maintain their livelihoods within reasonable limits. (We don't agree. We don't agree.)]

Experts point out that strict application of the law is necessary to prevent the situation from becoming prolonged.

[Professor Yeom Geon-woong/Department of Police and Fire Administration, Woosong University: They must be strictly charged with obstruction of business. There is also the aspect of demonstrating collective force.]

The police plan to launch an investigation into the woman who single-handedly blocked the entrance to the offices of organizations under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee on charges including obstruction of business.

Reported by Kwon Min-kyu | Video by Oh Young-chun and Kim Seung-tae | Video Editing by Kim Yoon-sung | Graphics by Seo Seung-hyun
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.