Riot Police Deployed, Hundreds Gather to Block Removal of Ballot Boxes... Chaos at Jamsil 7-dong Polling Station

Jamsil 7-dong Polling Extended 4 Hours Due to Ballot Shortage
Hundreds of Citizens and YouTubers Protest Alleged Election Fraud
Riot Police Deployed for Order, Firefighters Also Dispatched

On June 3, during the main voting of the 9th nationwide local elections, a ballot shortage at the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul led to a suspension of voting and a blockade preventing the removal of the ballot boxes, resulting in a tense standoff that continued throughout the night. As hundreds of people gathered, the police deployed dozens of riot squad members to the scene to maintain order.

On the 3rd, hundreds of citizens and conservative YouTubers gathered at the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, where a ballot shortage occurred, blocking the removal of the ballot box. Photo by Ho-Soo Park

According to police and other sources, around 12:30 a.m. on June 4, dozens of riot police were dispatched to the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul. This polling station is one of 14 polling stations in Seoul that experienced a ballot shortage. On the previous day, residents who were unable to vote by 6 p.m. were given waiting tickets, and voting continued until 10 p.m. Although the voting has ended, residents and conservative YouTubers continue to surround the polling station in a standoff with authorities.

The citizens blocking the removal of the ballot boxes are demanding a halt to the ballot counting, chanting slogans such as "fraudulent election," "null and void," and "disband the National Election Commission," expressing strong protest and voicing distrust in the election process itself, including the ballot shortage incident. The involvement of conservative YouTubers has further fueled the chaos at the scene. Some individuals used loudspeakers to call for a halt to the ballot count, while others draped themselves in the Korean and American flags.

One resident declared, "I will not step back until a new vote is held." Another resident, who said they had been waiting to vote, shouted, "I saw ballot papers being delivered by motorcycle in plastic bags and zipper pouches."

On the 3rd, dozens of police riot squad members were deployed to the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, where a shortage of ballots occurred. Photo by Park Hosoo

Assemblyman Kim Jaeseop from the People Power Party visited the polling station to mediate the situation, and Kim Eun-hye, also a lawmaker from the same party, joined in to protest. Arriving at the polling station at around 12:40 a.m., Kim Eun-hye criticized, "Bringing ballot papers and voting machines late to areas where they are at a disadvantage is exactly what the Maduro regime in Venezuela did." After meeting with election commission staff, Assemblyman Kim Jaeseop stated, "The actions of the election commission gravely infringe upon the right to vote and the political rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Constitution," and added, "This is a serious violation of fair elections."

The police continue to stand off with the citizens. A police official said, "We are continuing to deploy additional personnel," and noted that "more than 50 officers may be deployed." Police are diverting vehicles attempting to enter the area around the polling station or nearby roads. Firefighters and other emergency personnel have also been dispatched to the scene as a precaution.

On the 3rd, Kim Eun-hye, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, visited the 2nd polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, where a shortage of ballots occurred, to protest. Photo by Ho-su Park

At Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, protesters claiming that "this election is fraudulent" gathered to hold a demonstration. The protestors, led by YouTuber Jeon Hangil, a former Korean history instructor, relocated their protest site to the National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province after Jeon designated it as the new gathering point during his personal broadcast.

The National Election Commission issued a public apology at 9 p.m. on the previous day, stating, "In the case of Songpa-gu, it appears that 50% of the total number of eligible voters was printed," and added, "We need to investigate why there was a shortage despite early voting."

Meanwhile, the Citizens’ Coalition for the Protection of People’s Livelihoods has filed a police complaint against Noh Tae-ak, chairperson of the National Election Commission; Heo Cheol-hoon, secretary-general; Oh Min-seok, chairperson of the Seoul Election Commission; and Kim Beom-jin, director of the Seoul Election Commission, on charges of abuse of authority and dereliction of duty.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.