S. Korea holds general election amid COVID-19 outbreak
- 4 years ago
제21대 국회의원선거 투표 시작…'코로나19 전파 가능성 차단한다'
There's less than an hour left until the polls close in South Korea's twenty-first general election.
Special quarantine measures have been taken at the polling stations, of course, because of COVID-19, and the authorities are making sure that even people in quarantine can vote.
For more on the process, we have our Kan Hyeong-woo standing by at a polling station in central Seoul.
Hyeong-woo, fill us in.
Devin, so South Korean voters began casting their ballots at 6 this morning.
And yes, the polling stations will close at 6 PM for ordinary voters who are not in self-quarantine.
Because there are still new cases of the coronavirus here and there,... the National Election Commission has taken a number of preventive measures.
Voters have to bring their ID cards, of course,... but they also have to wear a protective face mask when they go in.
At the entrance, they get their temperatures taken.
If they don't have a fever or a cough, they have to disinfect their hands with hand sanitizer and put on disposable latex gloves both of which are provided by the polling station they visit.
Voters are also required to stand at least one meter apart from each other at all times.
I asked some voters how they feel about voting in these conditions.
"It's my first time voting like this. But I feel clean. I think a lot of people like it this way and I hope they continue to doing it like this."
"I think it's a good idea to carry on with the election. It looks like everything is going well as people are wearing masks, gloves and keeping the right distance from each other."
Anyone showing respiratory symptoms or a temperature higher than 37-point-5 degrees Celsius will be escorted to a separate area to vote.
And what about those in self-quarantine?
The National Election Commission has made it possible for them to cast their ballots.
How's that going to work?
That's right, Devin. The election authorities are allowing people in self-quarantine to vote.
There are almost 60-thousand eligible voters in self-isolation.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety,... around 23 percent of them some 13-thousand people have applied to take part.
Now, these are the rules:
The quarantine will be temporarily lifted from 5:20 PM to 7 PM.
Only then can those in self-quarantine head straight to polling stations on foot or in their own cars.
Their voting period is from 6 to 7 PM after the other voters are finished.
Most of those under quarantine will be accompanied by government officials.
But those who aren't... will be tracked through a mobile app.
And of course, they must wear face masks.
Given that the self-quarantined voters will cast their ballots after 6 PM,... the exit poll will be released at 6:15 PM.
That's all I have at this hour. Back to you. Devin.
There's less than an hour left until the polls close in South Korea's twenty-first general election.
Special quarantine measures have been taken at the polling stations, of course, because of COVID-19, and the authorities are making sure that even people in quarantine can vote.
For more on the process, we have our Kan Hyeong-woo standing by at a polling station in central Seoul.
Hyeong-woo, fill us in.
Devin, so South Korean voters began casting their ballots at 6 this morning.
And yes, the polling stations will close at 6 PM for ordinary voters who are not in self-quarantine.
Because there are still new cases of the coronavirus here and there,... the National Election Commission has taken a number of preventive measures.
Voters have to bring their ID cards, of course,... but they also have to wear a protective face mask when they go in.
At the entrance, they get their temperatures taken.
If they don't have a fever or a cough, they have to disinfect their hands with hand sanitizer and put on disposable latex gloves both of which are provided by the polling station they visit.
Voters are also required to stand at least one meter apart from each other at all times.
I asked some voters how they feel about voting in these conditions.
"It's my first time voting like this. But I feel clean. I think a lot of people like it this way and I hope they continue to doing it like this."
"I think it's a good idea to carry on with the election. It looks like everything is going well as people are wearing masks, gloves and keeping the right distance from each other."
Anyone showing respiratory symptoms or a temperature higher than 37-point-5 degrees Celsius will be escorted to a separate area to vote.
And what about those in self-quarantine?
The National Election Commission has made it possible for them to cast their ballots.
How's that going to work?
That's right, Devin. The election authorities are allowing people in self-quarantine to vote.
There are almost 60-thousand eligible voters in self-isolation.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety,... around 23 percent of them some 13-thousand people have applied to take part.
Now, these are the rules:
The quarantine will be temporarily lifted from 5:20 PM to 7 PM.
Only then can those in self-quarantine head straight to polling stations on foot or in their own cars.
Their voting period is from 6 to 7 PM after the other voters are finished.
Most of those under quarantine will be accompanied by government officials.
But those who aren't... will be tracked through a mobile app.
And of course, they must wear face masks.
Given that the self-quarantined voters will cast their ballots after 6 PM,... the exit poll will be released at 6:15 PM.
That's all I have at this hour. Back to you. Devin.