South Korean lawmakers grill police over ballot counting site lockdown response

South Korean lawmakers on Tuesday grilled police officials over their handling of a prolonged lockdown at a ballot counting site during the June 3 local elections. The special parliamentary committee investigating the incident focused on the police's response to the situation at the Olympic Park handball gymnasium in Songpa, Seoul.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Superintendent Park Jeong-bo stated that while the election commission requested cooperation twice to transport ballot boxes, the police prioritized citizen safety due to concerns about potential clashes. He explained that the decision was made considering the risks involved at the site, where unsanctioned gatherings had been ongoing.

Lawmaker Jeong Chun-saeng of the Justice Party strongly criticized the police for their perceived passive response to the prolonged, unsanctioned assemblies. Jeong cited various incidents, including assaults and sexual harassment, that occurred at the site, questioning the adequacy of the police's subsequent investigations and overall approach to maintaining order.