Ex-commander's bizarre theory: Handball players disguised to move ballot boxes

Kim Hyun-tae, a former commander of the Army's 707th Special Mission Battalion, who is currently on trial for allegedly leading troops into the National Assembly during a 2023 coup attempt, has advanced a bizarre conspiracy theory. He claims that young female handball players were disguised to move ballot boxes at the Olympic Park Handball Stadium in Seoul.

Kim made these claims during a YouTube live broadcast on June 8, standing outside the stadium where protesters were blocking ballot boxes. He suggested that the number of people entering the stadium was less than the number exiting, implying someone had entered under disguise. He further alleged, citing unverified reports from drone surveillance, that ballot boxes were seen being moved inside the venue.

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Based on these circumstances, we can reasonably suspect that they entered disguised as players to move the ballot boxes.

"Based on these circumstances, we can reasonably suspect that they entered disguised as players to move the ballot boxes," Kim asserted. "Some may be real players, but some entered disguised and some remain inside." He suggested that election commission officials had left, but someone needed to perform further tasks, leading to the players' alleged infiltration.

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Some may be real players, but some entered disguised and some remain inside.

However, video footage and witness accounts contradict Kim's theory. On the day in question, six junior national handball players entered the stadium to retrieve training equipment. They were on their way to the World Junior Championships in Shaanxi, China, scheduled for June 24. Protesters, however, blocked their entry, accusing them of being infiltrators and demanding to inspect their belongings for hidden ballot papers. One protester reportedly made sexually suggestive remarks towards the players, drawing a warning from the police for creating sexual humiliation.

Kim Hyun-tae, who was dismissed in January, has recently aligned himself with far-right YouTuber Jeon Han-gil. He previously ran as an independent candidate in a by-election for the Incheon Gyeyang-B constituency, formerly held by President Lee Jae-myung, vowing to "overthrow the Lee Jae-myung regime." He secured third place in that election.

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The United States is abusing the concept of national security and creating discriminatory lists targeting Chinese companies. It must stop these wrong practices and create a fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.