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South Koreans Preserve Democracy, Even During Pandemic

William Gallo

   SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - South Koreans stood in socially distanced lines,
   disinfected their hands,and wore face masks and gloves inside polling
   stations as they participated in one of the world's first major
   elections of the coronavirus era.

   Having already rapidly slowed the spread of the coronavirus, South
   Korea is implementing wide-ranging measures to ensure Wednesday's
   parliamentary vote does not lead to a resurgence of the disease.

   Standing one meter apart, voters began lining up at 6:00 a.m.local
   timeat polling stations, which were disinfected ahead of the election.
   Poll workers provided a squirt of hand sanitizer and disposable plastic
   gloves, while checking voter temperatures with contact-free
   thermometers. Those with symptoms voted at separate booths.

   Voters in quarantine or self-isolationwill beallowed to cast ballots
   after regular voting ends later in the day.

   South Korea's experience could be instructive for other countries
   planning elections during a time of social distancing. Experts have
   warned that bringing millions of voters to the same locations could
   allow the disease to spread rapidly.

   Postponing: not an option

   Some other countries where the virus has not been
   containedalreadyhavedelayed elections.

   But postponing the vote was out of the question for South Korea,
   saidDuyeonKim, a senior adviser for Northeast Asia at the International
   Crisis Group.

   "South Koreans have trauma from two authoritarian regimes between
   1963-1988, so elections are particularly essential to their democracy,"
   she said. "Not even the Korean War stopped them from voting in the 1952
   presidential race."

   Referendum on Moon

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