Some tents remain as dwindling number of protesters vow to stay

Tents set up by protesters are seen in front of the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 5, the final day of a deadline for demonstrators to voluntarily withdraw from the site following protests over a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)
Tents set up by protesters are seen in front of the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 5, the final day of a deadline for demonstrators to voluntarily withdraw from the site following protests over a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)

Several tents and other makeshift structures remained outside the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday, the deadline for demonstrators to leave voluntarily. Some tents had been dismantled, and the number of protesters had dwindled considerably.

The gymnasium, which served as a ballot-counting center during the June 3 local elections, became the focus of months-long protests over ballot shortages at several polling stations, including those in Seoul's Songpa-gu district. Alleging election fraud, protesters blocked access to the venue, disrupting its normal operations while demanding a rerun of the election.

A possible turning point came on Oct. 29, when a special investigation team examining the ballot shortage inspected the ballots and transferred them to another location.

Some protesters have vowed not to leave voluntarily, but the dwindling numbers suggest the demonstrations are losing momentum. It is uncertain whether the standoff will end and the gymnasium can resume normal operations.

A sign notifying protesters of the deadline for voluntary departure stands outside the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday, the final day of the deadline for demonstrators to leave the site. Protests have been staged over a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)
A sign notifying protesters of the deadline for voluntary departure stands outside the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday, the final day of the deadline for demonstrators to leave the site. Protests have been staged over a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)

Protesters wave South Korean flags outside the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday, the final day of a deadline for demonstrators to leave voluntarily following months of protests over a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)
Protesters wave South Korean flags outside the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Thursday, the final day of a deadline for demonstrators to leave voluntarily following months of protests over a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. (Yonhap)

milaya@heraldcorp.com