![Protesters demanding a halt to vote counting gather outside the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Friday, as ballots from Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong — the site of a nearly three-day blockade — are being counted. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/05/rcv.YNA.20260605.PYH2026060506690001300_P1.jpg)
The ballot box from Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul — the site of an unprecedented ballot shortage that paralyzed voting — was finally opened Friday, but protesters who had blockaded the station moved to the counting venue and continued their demonstrations.
By 4 p.m. Friday, roughly 300 people — including citizens alleging election fraud and conservative-leaning YouTubers, according to an unofficial police estimate — had gathered outside the entrance of the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu. They blocked access and demanded a re-election and the nullification of votes.
The ballot box, held under a nearly three-day blockade, was removed from the polling station at around 8:54 a.m. Friday and counting was completed, but protesters said they would not accept the results.
As the demonstration grew more heated, election workers and gymnasium staff found it difficult to enter or leave the building. Some employees who tried to exit were blocked by protesters and forced back inside.
"I went outside and protesters followed me, hurling insults, so I ended up coming back in," one gymnasium employee said. "I had a meeting to get to and tried three times but couldn't get out." Another employee said protesters had been demanding to inspect the contents of every box brought into the venue, and that the situation was escalating.
Protesters have been using YouTube livestreams and group messaging channels to rally more participants. Jeon Han-gil (56, real name Jeon Yu-gwan), a YouTuber and former Korean history instructor who has alleged election fraud, stood outside the counting venue with a megaphone and declared that "the June 3 local elections were rigged, so every election result across the country is void."
Police maintained a security presence at the scene in anticipation of potential clashes. Officials at the venue were considering options including escorting election commission staff out first before separately removing ballot-counting materials.
On election day, ballot shortages halted voting at 14 polling stations across Jamsil 2-, 4- and 7-dong and Garak 2-dong in Songpa-gu, Cheongdam-dong in Gangnam-gu, and Guui 3-dong in Gwangjin-gu. The National Election Commission made an emergency resupply of ballots and extended the voting deadline to 10 p.m.
Hundreds of citizens and conservative YouTubers who disputed the voting process then blockaded the stations to prevent ballot boxes from being removed. At Polling Station No. 2 in Jamsil 7-dong, where an overnight standoff unfolded, police deployed 18 riot units and secured the ballot box after roughly 35 hours, allowing counting to be completed.
National Election Commission Chairman Noh Tae-ak announced his resignation Friday over the ballot shortage crisis. Speaking at the Gwacheon government complex that afternoon, he said he accepts full responsibility and that the commission's fact-finding panel would be composed entirely of outside experts.
betterj@heraldcorp.com
