"Voting Rights Are a Given" vs "The Movement Itself Is Contradictory": What Do You Think About Voting for Self-Quarantined Individuals?

COVID-19 Self-Quarantine Lifted Temporarily from 5:40 PM to 7 PM on the 15th
Citizens "How to Prevent Movement Deviations"... Concerns Over Local Infection Spread
Experts "Thorough Preparation Needed, Including Pre-Education for Quarantine Subjects"

On the first day of early voting for the 21st National Assembly election on the 10th, a voter is seen placing a ballot paper into the ballot box at the early voting station set up in the departure hall of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] With the 21st National Assembly general election just one day away on the 14th, concerns among citizens are growing over the voting rights of individuals under self-quarantine due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Although the purpose of quarantine is to protect the public from COVID-19 infection and prevent community spread, some argue that going out to vote nullifies the reason for quarantine.

While some citizens raise their voices insisting that the voting rights of self-quarantined individuals should be guaranteed, others express concerns that this could create gaps in the quarantine system.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters announced on the 12th the 'Quarantine Guidelines for Self-Quarantined Voters,' stating that asymptomatic self-quarantined individuals will be allowed to participate in voting.

According to the guidelines, self-quarantined individuals who have expressed their intention to vote and show no suspicious symptoms can exercise their voting rights on the election day, the 15th, after 6 p.m., when general voters finish voting. From 5:20 p.m. to 7 p.m. on that day, self-quarantine will be temporarily lifted to allow going out. Self-quarantined individuals must arrive at the polling station by 6 p.m. using private vehicles or on foot and wait in a designated area separated from general voters.

During the movement of self-quarantined individuals, dedicated public officials may accompany them; however, in the Seoul metropolitan area, where there are many self-quarantined individuals, one-on-one dedicated management is difficult, so the plan is to manage movement routes using the 'Self-Quarantine App.'

However, citizens express concerns, saying, "Isn't the risk of infection spread increasing just by self-quarantined individuals going out?" There are also concerns about the risk of self-quarantined individuals deviating from their expected routes. Since the quarantine release lasts for 1 hour and 40 minutes, and tracking routes only through the app or phone reports has limitations.

On the morning of the first day of early voting for the 21st National Assembly election on the 10th, an election official is putting plastic gloves on a voter's hand at the Okdong early voting station set up at the Ulsan Veterans Affairs Office in Nam-gu, Ulsan. Photo by Yonhap News

A in their 20s, an office worker living in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, expressed concern, saying, "Even if a dedicated public official manages one-on-one, there is a risk of transmission, and reporting routes via the app is really dangerous." They added, "Can we fully trust self-quarantined individuals going out to vote?"

A pointed out, "They might falsely report their going out or return times, and they might visit restaurants or shops along the route. Moreover, they will likely encounter local residents on the street; can this really be guaranteed safe?"

B (31), living in Songpa-gu, Seoul, also raised their voice, saying, "It seems the government is pushing citizens without proper measures."

B added, "They insisted on voting even in this situation without proper measures. Although public officials will be equipped with protective gear, leaks can still occur. What will they do if this causes a spread of local infections?"

Experts suggest that thorough preparation regarding the transportation and routes of self-quarantined individuals, as well as their cooperation, is necessary.

Professor Lee Jae-gap, an infectious disease specialist at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, said in an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 13th, "There is a constitutional value in realizing the voting rights of self-quarantined individuals, but thorough preparation must be made during the process." He emphasized, "Sufficient prior education should be provided, and careful attention is needed to prevent any concerning situations."

Professor Lee explained, "Not only during the incubation period but also in various transmission patterns, patients usually start to increase about a week to ten days after a special event. Therefore, if patients increase due to this situation after the Easter service and the election, the full pattern may appear after mid-next week. The relevant parts will be decided through the Living Quarantine Meeting."

Meanwhile, unauthorized departure from self-quarantine can result in imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.