South Korea is going ahead with parliament elections and people are coming out to vote wearing masks and plastic gloves. The voting is taking place on April 15, for 300 parliament seats amid the country facing the heat of coronavirus pandemic.
Voters have been asked to follow the rules set before coming out to vote. Accordingly, those coming out to vote compulsorily must use hand sanitizer, wear plastic gloves and maintain one-meter distance while casting the vote.
Voting started at 6 am (KST). Voters are asked to use disinfector, wear the mask and then also have to get their temperature checked before entering the polling booth. Only those whose temperature is below 37.5 Celcius are allowed to enter the booth.
The country has set up 14,000 polling booths for the parliamentary election. This election holds importance as it will decide the fate of President Moon Jae In and success of his agendas including lenient fiscal policy, the promise of creating jobs, increasing the amount of minimum wage and issues regarding relations with North Korea. If Moon led Democratic Party of Korea loses elections, then the country will gear up for Presidential election in 2022.
Special booths for those with high temperature
The special booths have been set up for those who have temperature more than 37.5 Celcius and for those who were diagnosed with coronavirus. National Election Commission identified 2,800 people with infection and has allowed them to vote at special polling booths.
Reports claim that 13,000 people who are practising self-quarantine can vote one hour after the voting time ends for those without high temperature. They can cast their vote after 6 pm (KST) at the polling booths.
Elections postponed
South Korea has never once postponed its elections so far and this time even during the pandemic has taken necessary measures to conduct polls safely.
Poland that is scheduled to go for elections on May 10, is likely to conduct election through a mail-in ballot. But the United States that has the most confirmed cases of coronavirus in the world has postponed polls in primaries and is likely to postpone Presidential election too. France too has postponed polls for local governance.
South Korea coronavirus cases
South Korea is one of the countries that have so far quite successfully managed to curb the spread of coronavirus. The country that had the second most confirmed cases of coronavirus is currently in the 22nd position with 10,591 confirmed cases and 225 deaths reported as of April 15.
But the news of relapse of the virus attack on those who had returned after recovering from coronavirus has become a matter of concern to the country.
