Photo : YONHAP News
Police have launched an investigation into assault allegations against protesters who took part in a blockade of a ballot-counting center in Seoul’s Songpa District regarding the June 3 election ballot shortages.
In a press notice on Friday, the National Police Agency said it opened the investigation Wednesday and has summoned a suspect for questioning in the case, which involves alleged assaults against members of the press and members of the women’s junior handball team at Olympic Park.
The investigators continue their efforts to track down and identify any other people who may have been involved in the altercation.
Police say they intend to respect the public’s political rights as much as possible by actively supporting and protecting expressions of opinion, but will crack down on illegal activities such as obstructing free passage or defaming or insulting police officers.
The SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium, the designated ballot-counting center in the district, is located inside Olympic Park, and on Monday some of the protesters allegedly looked through the belongings of the young athletes who had come to collect their training equipment.
Protesters are also alleged to have physically and verbally attacked journalists reporting from the site.