Special Committee Enters 'Olympic Park' Interior 27 Days After Blockade... Dispute Over Whether Ballot Boxes Should Be Removed

[Financial News] The National Assembly special committee for investigating the truth behind the infringement of citizens' voting rights, including the shortage of ballots, and for reforming election management succeeded on the 2nd in entering the Olympic Park handball gymnasium in Songpa District, Seoul. It was the first time in 27 days since the site was blocked by protesters. Members from both parties on the special committee showed differing views on whether the ballots and ballot boxes still stored inside the gymnasium should be taken out.
The committee carried out an on-site inspection at the Olympic Park handball gymnasium that day. As news of the inspection spread, more protesters than usual gathered at Olympic Park.
When word spread that the committee's vehicle arrived at Olympic Park at around 11:57 a.m., protesters began moving toward the route prepared by police for the committee. About an hour later, when the committee members got out at 12:46 p.m., the crowd chanted slogans including "special counsel" push, "by-election," and "election fraud."
After pushing through the crowd, the committee members, under police protection, succeeded in entering the venue through Gate 2-2 of the Olympic Park handball gymnasium at around 1:10 p.m. Some protesters physically clashed with police in an attempt to block their entry.
Once inside, the committee first checked the condition of about 2.47 million valid and invalid ballots and the ballot boxes currently stored at the Olympic Park handball gymnasium. The Songpa District Election Commission said it was managing the materials using closed-circuit television cameras that monitor the outside of the storage area.
In response, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-man pointed out, "The place where the ballots and ballot boxes are being stored is a shower room in the gymnasium. That is why there are no CCTV cameras inside." He added, "The actual entrance door is also not being captured by CCTV." He went on to say, "At this point, we still cannot say they are being properly and stably managed," and argued, "We should quickly consider moving the ballots and ballot boxes to a safer place, somewhere the public can feel is being managed securely."
People Power Party lawmaker Choi Bo-yoon also said, "At a time when a special counsel has not yet been fully launched, extremely important items, materials, and evidence are being stored there." She added, "Then we need to immediately come up with a way to earn public trust, whether that means using another third-party location instead of the Songpa District Election Commission or further strengthening security here." The two parties thus showed some disagreement over whether the ballot boxes should be taken out.
After finishing the on-site inspection, Yoon Sang-hyun, the People Power Party lawmaker who chairs the special committee, told reporters, "We confirmed that former Songpa District Election Commission secretary-general Jo Si-hoon closed the door to the shower room at the end, and when we opened it again today, the ballots and ballot boxes were preserved exactly as they were."
Yoon said, "To prove that the ballots and ballot boxes have been preserved intact and that the vote count was carried out without error, the National Election Commission said it would actively comply if the National Assembly, through the special committee, passes a resolution requesting a recount of those ballot boxes." He added, "I ask both parties to positively consider publicly proposing a recount to the NEC."
Before visiting Olympic Park that day, the committee also conducted an on-site inspection at the Songpa District Election Commission. The committee plans to adopt its final report on the parliamentary investigation after hearings on the 14th and 22nd.
gowell@fnnews.com Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter