Ballot boxes leave Olympic Park, protesters follow ... Protest moves toward dispersal after 146 days

[Financial News] The protests that had continued around the Handball Gymnasium in Seoul’s Olympic Park over the ballot-paper shortage in the June 3 local elections entered a process of dispersal after 146 days. With all the ballot boxes removed as part of the special counsel’s investigation, the protesters, too, appear to be leaving.
According to Yonhap News Agency on the 29th, about 100 protesters gathered in front of Gate 1-3 of the Handball Gymnasium at around 7:10 a.m. After Lee Tae-han’s special counsel team for the National Election Commission completed its public verification and removed all the ballot boxes at around 7 a.m., the protesters, who had been singing Aegukga, South Korea’s national anthem, and facing off with police at the entrance, turned around and headed here.
As many as 2,000 protesters had gathered the previous day to block the removal of the ballot boxes and demand a live broadcast of the verification, but by around 7:30 a.m. that day, their numbers had dwindled to about 50. The remaining protesters chanted, “Election fraud, hold a new election; same-day voting, hand-counted ballots.” In fact, only around 10 people were chanting aloud.
Red chairs, banners reading “Live broadcast of the recount,” and cardboard boxes used for sitting were scattered around the Handball Gymnasium. Tents, heating devices, and dozens of funeral wreaths used during the overnight protests were also still there.
However, some of the protesters who stayed until the end said they intended to continue protesting elsewhere even if the protest at the vote-counting station ended. A woman in her 40s identified as A wiped away tears and said, “I’m devastated and in tears. I don’t know whether I’ll keep protesting here, but I intend to continue protesting.” She said she had been coming here all along since June 5, when the protest at the vote-counting station began.
Jang, 67, also said, “If the struggle continues somewhere else, I’ll join again. They took the ballot boxes away without even showing them to the public. It didn’t end properly,” expressing regret. Jang, too, reportedly took part for at least half the time since the protest at the vote-counting station began.
The police officers guarding the site clearly looked tired. One officer said, “I’ve been on duty for 26 hours,” adding, “My legs barely move.”
Meanwhile, police deployed 48 mobile units and about 3,000 personnel to maintain order during the public verification.
[email protected] Kim Hee-sun Reporter