'This rally will never end,' protesters say as Olympic Park sit-in enters 18th day

A protest that began in response to a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections has entered its 18th day. Overall numbers have gradually declined, but new participants continue to join, and the demonstration shows signs of becoming a prolonged fixture. One participant called for the rally to become a permanent presence. While demonstrators in their 20s and 30s have begun staging separate protests in the Hongdae area, the Olympic Park gathering shows no sign of ending.

At around 9 a.m. Monday, roughly 130 protesters assembled in front of the handball arena at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, chanting slogans such as "fraudulent election — hold a new vote" and "hand-count same-day ballots." The crowd had thinned enough to be counted by hand.

Participants acknowledged that Monday mornings draw the fewest people and spread themselves out to appear more numerous, spacing themselves roughly two adult paces apart and stretching across the area in front of the arena, waving South Korean and American flags.

Signs of extended habitation were visible throughout the site. One protester had fashioned a makeshift shelter from an umbrella and a picnic mat, with clothing hung out to dry nearby. Another, who had spent the night in front of the arena, was seen folding up a mosquito net as the morning began.

Kim, 22, who was folding the mosquito net, said he had been at the protest site for 15 of the 18 days. "We take turns staying overnight to guard the materials for making Taegukgi flags," he said. "Honestly, I'm not even asking for a new election. I think we'll only disperse once there's a response or a plan sufficient to satisfy the participants. Until then, I have no intention of leaving."

A 42-year-old housewife surnamed Yoo, who had attended 10 of the 18 days, said she came from Gangdong-gu after dropping her children off at school. "It's normally my time to exercise, but I couldn't focus on that," she said. "Monday mornings have the fewest people, so I came to add to the numbers."

She added that she hoped the protest would wrap up before the rainy season sets in. "I feel things are gradually changing — I can see the media covering our story without distorting it," she said.

Some participants were joining for the first time. In sharp contrast to the tens of thousands who gathered when the protest began on June 6 and 7, the Sunday afternoon crowd stood at around 4,000 by an unofficial police estimate — a steep drop that prompted some newcomers to say they had come specifically to bolster the numbers.

Lee, 21, who traveled from Andong in North Gyeongsang Province and was attending for the third consecutive day, said he had previously only watched livestreams on YouTube because of the distance. "I felt I had to come and contribute in person, even from far away, so I came late," he said. "I've been staying at a nearby guesthouse for three days and I'm still deciding whether to extend my stay."

A 55-year-old pastor surnamed Lee, who came from Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province, said his weekend schedule made it impossible to attend earlier. "Monday mornings are relatively easy for me to get away," he said. "I get the feeling this rally is becoming a permanent fixture. I think it will keep going without shrinking."

As the Olympic Park protest enters its third week, a series of incidents has unfolded at the site. On June 17, a man in his 30s repeatedly shouted that "someone is dying inside the handball arena" while cutting his own right arm with a blade. Police officers on duty at the scene disarmed and subdued him before taking him to hospital. He was arrested on the spot on charges of aggravated intimidation.

A dispute between protest organizers and the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee remains unresolved. Sports organizations that store office equipment and competition gear inside the arena have attempted to enter multiple times since the protest began, but demonstrators have blocked them each time. Fencing athletes competing in a championship were ultimately forced to borrow equipment to participate, and the disruptions continue.

Police are also investigating criminal acts that have occurred near the arena. Investigators have identified suspects in connection with four incidents: trespassing into the arena, obstruction of business operations by sports organizations, assault on a journalist, and aggravated coercion against a handball player.