▲ Protests in front of the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul
Park Jung-bo, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, has signaled a high-intensity response to a series of illegal acts committed by participants of the "Jamsil vote-counting station protest," who gathered following a ballot paper shortage, including the unauthorized searching of personal belongings of ordinary citizens.
During a regular press briefing today (June 15), Commissioner Park addressed the incident in which Jamsil protesters searched the belongings of the women's youth national handball team. He stated, "Because they demonstrated the power of a crowd, we have applied charges of special coercion rather than general coercion," noting that this carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
He added a stern warning, saying, "The sentencing is extremely heavy. If you thoughtlessly join in illegal acts on the sidelines and are charged as an accomplice, you could face total ruin."
The Seoul police chief's unusually strong language and mention of potential criminal punishment appear to stem from the judgment that the illegal activities of some Jamsil protesters have crossed the line.
President Lee Jae-myung also remarked during a meeting with senior secretaries held while on his European tour the previous day, "Should we not be responding strictly to acts of private inspection and obstruction of business using force?"
The Seoul Songpa Police Station has identified three individuals who actively participated in searching the youth national team's belongings and has issued a summons for one of them.
Currently, a total of 15 investigations are underway, covering incidents including the search of personal belongings, assaults against journalists, acts of insult toward police officers on the scene, and physical altercations among the participants themselves.
Commissioner Park stated, "Assaulting journalists is unacceptable. We are currently applying charges of confinement," and added that they have identified and are tracking three active participants in that incident as well.
Furthermore, he said, "The Korean police are the best at identifying and arresting individuals. If we set our minds to it, we can do it anytime," adding, "Those who participated in the insults will also be apprehended soon."
Regarding the situation where sports organizations under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, which are housed in the handball gymnasium, have been unable to enter their offices for 10 days due to the blockade of the vote-counting station, he signaled that charges of obstruction of business would be applied to the protesters.
Commissioner Park stated, "This is a clear illegal act, and we are collecting evidence," adding that he would consider the police's future actions after observing the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's press conference this afternoon.
He also emphasized that while the police had previously dealt with the situation by withdrawing to avoid clashes between protesters and officers, "What is clear is that if illegal acts of obstruction of business are confirmed, we will handle them strictly. We will pursue judicial action after the fact."
However, Commissioner Park noted, "Fundamentally, we view this as a public forum where citizens who believe their right to vote has been infringed have gathered voluntarily to express their opinions," adding, "We are actively guaranteeing peaceful expression of opinion as it is a citizen's right protected by the Constitution."
Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it has received a total of 306 reports via 112 related to ballot paper shortages and disturbances since the day of the June 3 local elections.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.