Seoul: Protesters continued to rally outside a vote-counting facility in Seoul for the fifth day Tuesday, demanding a re-run of last week's local elections over ballot shortages at some polling stations.

According to Yonhap News Agency, as of 10 a.m., approximately 200 protesters surrounded the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Songpa Ward, as per an unofficial police estimate. This number marked a sharp decline from about 2,000 participants observed on Monday afternoon. Over the weekend, tens of thousands had gathered at the stadium to express their dissatisfaction with the ballot shortages and to prevent election officials from removing ballot boxes.

The National Election Commission (NEC) reported that the lack of ballot papers led to a temporary suspension of voting at 26 polling stations nationwide on Wednesday. In response to the escalating situation, the head of the Songpa Police Station expressed a willingness to resign, citing the worsening of preexisting health conditions, as noted by a notice from the National Police Agency. The station will be managed under acting leadership for the interim period.

While the weekend protests primarily focused on demanding a new election, Tuesday saw some protesters alleging electoral fraud, carrying signs that read, "Stop the steal." Under current election law, a petition must be submitted to the election watchdog to invalidate a local election and initiate a new one. If the petition is rejected, the matter can be taken to court.

The minor New Reform Party has indicated its intention to file a petition to partially invalidate the election results. The ongoing protest has severely disrupted the operations of sports organizations based at the stadium, including the Korea Handball Association and the Korea Underwater Association. An official from the Korea Underwater Association mentioned that the blockade has interfered with preparations for the 2026 CMAS World Championship Finswimming Indoor, scheduled to commence in Incheon on June 22.