Seoul: Election protesters agreed Tuesday to allow sports officials inside a gymnasium used as a ballot-counting center for the June 3 local elections, potentially ending a 12-day standoff between the sides, the leader of the main opposition party said.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), announced the agreement following discussions with the protesters. The demonstrators had been stationed in front of the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Seoul's Songpa Ward, demanding a rerun of the June 3 elections due to significant ballot shortages at 26 voting stations nationwide.

Since June 5, officials from sports organizations under the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee have been unable to access their offices within the gymnasium. The protesters have been blocking the removal of ballot boxes brought there for counting, even though the vote count for the local elections was already completed.

The agreement reached allows two members from each organization to enter the gym simultaneously to retrieve necessary items for their work. The process will be broadcast live, overseen by PPP lawmakers, with protesters given the opportunity to verify the items recovered.

Earlier in the day, police issued three warnings to the protesters, cautioning them of potential criminal charges for obstructing business operations. Jang and other PPP lawmakers visited the site to help reduce tensions and facilitate the resolution.