South Koreans brave coronavirus to vote, ruling party set for win

Voters wearing masks in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID19) cast a ballot at a polling station during the parliamentary election in Seoul, South Korea on April 15. (REUTERS Photo)

 

 

SEOUL, April 15 (Reuters): South Korean President Moon Jae-in's ruling party is projected to win a general election on Wednesday, exit polls showed, as mask-wearing voters cast their ballots under strict precautions against the novel coronavirus.

 

The election was closely watched around the world as one of the first nationwide votes since the epidemic began. The coronavirus has caused delays in many other political calendars.

 

A ruling party majority in parliament would help Moon to push through his agenda in his final two years in office, with a looser fiscal policy aimed at creating jobs, a higher minimum wage and engagement with North Korea his priorities.

 

Voters at some 14,000 disinfected polling stations across the country had to wear masks, have their temperatures checked, use hand sanitizer and plastic gloves and maintain a safe distance from others.

 

Voter Choi Sun-hwa told Reuters she was initially apprehensive about coming out to vote because of the virus.

 

"But having come here and seen for myself, I felt it's good we voted as planned, and people are taking greater precaution about distancing," said Choi, 56, outside a Seoul polling station.

 

Moon's progressive camp is on track to secure up to 177 seats in the 300-member, single-chamber parliament. The main conservative party is expected to win as many as 131 seats, according to exit polls conducted by TV networks.

 

South Korea's largely successful campaign against the coronavirus has provided an unlikely boon for Moon and his party.

 

Once grappling with the first big outbreak outside China, South Korea has largely managed to bring it under control without major disruption thanks to an extensive testing campaign and intensive contact tracing.

 

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 27 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number to 10,591. The daily tally of cases has hovered around 30 over the past week, most of them people arriving from abroad.

 

In all, 229 people have died because of the coronavirus in South Korea.

 

Authorities have warned that infections could surge at any time and called for special vigilance on election day.

 

Voter turnout of 65.1% was higher than any parliamentary elections in the country's democratic history, according to the National Election Commission.

 

A boost for turnout came from record-high participation in early voting last weekend, when about 27% of 44 million registered voters cast ballots.

 

Among them were about 2,800 coronavirus patients, who the NEC allowed to vote by mail or in person, using special booths.

 

More than 13,000 in self-quarantine who had signed up to vote were allowed to do so after the polls closed.

 

The coronavirus hung over the campaign, forcing candidates to wear masks and bump fists instead of pressing the flesh and holding mass rallies.