Political, Religious Tones Deepen at Jamsil Blockade Protest... Internal Clashes Over 'Yoon Again'

At the Jamsil vote-counting center blockade protest, which entered its 13th day yesterday (June 17), new developments are emerging as differences of opinion among participants surface and religious gatherings are held.

According to reports compiled by Yonhap News, as of 8 p.m. on June 17, approximately 2,500 people had gathered around the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul, according to unofficial police estimates.

According to Seoul's real-time city data, the population inside Olympic Park at that time was around 10,000 to 12,000 people.

Despite it being a weekday evening, those in their 60s and older made up the largest share at 19.8 percent.

Previously, the slogans chanted by the protesters had been unified as "Rigged election, re-election," but the scene showed a slightly different dynamic on this day.

While the slogan in front of Gate 1-3, where the largest crowd gathered, remained "Rigged election, re-election," about 20 young people gathered in the wide plaza in front of the gymnastics arena chanted only "Re-election, re-election" without making claims of a rigged election.

In response, around 8 p.m., protest participants claiming election fraud swarmed them, protesting, "Why are you only chanting for a re-election? Are you Daejinyeon?" leading to a standoff.

As the protests continued, the group chanting only for a re-election shot back, "Why are you interfering with us freely chanting slogans?

Isn't freedom a value that conservatives cherish?" and the dispute between the two sides lasted for more than two hours.

On this day, in addition to the existing "anti-Lee Jae-myung" slogans, participants chanting "Yoon Again" were also noticeable.

Around 5 p.m., those chanting "Yoon Again" were stopped by other participants, but they continued chanting, saying, "I will say whatever I want to say."

As the political colors of the protest participants deepened, conflicts broke out in various places.

Around 7:20 p.m., a physical scuffle broke out as protest participants pushed a YouTuber, calling them a "leftist" and a "commie."

They claimed that the YouTuber was deliberately provoking them to cause legal trouble and demanded that the police expel him from the park.

Around 8:20 p.m., a minor commotion occurred when some people picked a fight with a participant wearing blue, asking, "Why did you come here wearing blue?"

Scenes starkly different from before were also noticeable.

That night, several participants gathered in a circle, played hymns, and held a religious meeting, praying aloud together.

They repeatedly shouted "Amen."

Meanwhile, four elementary school boys arrived on bicycles, waving the South Korean national flag (Taegeukgi) and chanting, "Rigged election, re-election."

Earlier in the morning, lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea visited the site but had to turn back after just 10 minutes amid fierce backlash from protest participants demanding a re-election.

Around 10:50 a.m., Democratic Party Representatives Chun Joon-ho, Jeon Yong-gi, and Lim O-kyeong, a former handball player, approached Gate 2-1 of the gymnasium—where sports organizations had attempted to enter on June 16—but were surrounded by a crowd of protest participants.

The participants booed the lawmakers and shouted, "Get out!"

The lawmakers tried to speak, but their voices were drowned out by the protest chants.

Ultimately, after a 10-minute standoff, the lawmakers were unable to access the gymnasium and turned back.

Before leaving the scene, Representative Chun Joon-ho said, "I came here to tell you that the ruling and opposition parties will work together to ensure the truth is uncovered through a parliamentary investigation into reforming the election management system."

He added, "The training and competition activities of athletes and coaches must be guaranteed," and emphasized, "While we respect voices regarding the infringement of voting rights, blocking the activities of sports organizations is an illegal act that is difficult to tolerate," but received no positive response.

Throughout the morning, protest participants staged sit-ins at various entrances of the handball gymnasium, monitoring the entry of outsiders.

They wrapped duct tape multiple times around the door handles and pasted photos of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Several men wearing masks with the pattern of the U.S. flag held megaphones and sang the national anthem, while some held Bibles and prayed.

In particular, in front of Gate 2-1, they strengthened their solidarity by praising a female protester who had single-handedly blocked sports organizations from entering on June 16, calling her "Ol-darc" (a portmanteau of Olympic Park and Joan of Arc).

A man distributing water at the scene said, "'Ol-darc' played a major role in preserving evidence of the rigged election," adding, "It seems she didn't come out today."

However, a man protesting at Gate 1-3 said, "When we negotiated yesterday, it was right to let them in," explaining, "Since we don't know if the ballot boxes inside are safe, there is also the advantage of being able to look inside through broadcasting station cameras."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.