Foreign Media: "South Korea Holds First Election in the COVID Era... Will Serve as a Guide for the United States"

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

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Shin-won] Foreign media are showing great interest in South Korea holding the 21st general election amid the COVID-19 pandemic. After positively evaluating the South Korean government's response to COVID-19, they assess that the way Korea handles the election amid the pandemic could serve as a guideline for many countries.

On the 13th (local time), the U.S. economic weekly magazine Time reported, "South Korea is the first country among those with large-scale COVID-19 outbreaks to hold a nationwide election," adding, "If the election is conducted without causing the spread of the virus, it could provide guidance for other countries' elections, including the U.S. presidential election on November 3."

Scott Snyder, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), said, "The South Korean general election is being conducted with thorough consideration to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection," and predicted, "This could serve as a model for conducting voting effectively and safely in the United States."

As COVID-19 spreads worldwide, many countries have already postponed elections. In the U.S., primaries in more than 15 states were delayed, and local elections in the U.K. were postponed by a year. At least 47 countries, including Ethiopia, France, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand, have postponed elections due to the COVID-19 situation.

Regarding why South Korea did not postpone the general election, Time cited Professor Park Won-ho of Seoul National University's Department of Political Science and International Relations, saying, "There were voices calling for postponement in South Korea as well, but it is a country that, after decades of military dictatorship, has held fair elections since 1988," and explained, "If the president postpones the election, it could appear to be following the tactics of past dictators."

It also added that the approximately 14,000 polling stations in South Korea are regularly disinfected, and voters must wear masks, undergo temperature checks, sanitize their hands with disinfectant, and wear plastic gloves before voting. It was also noted that voters diagnosed with COVID-19 cast their ballots by mail in advance between the 24th and 28th of last month.

Time stated, "Although voter turnout is expected to be lower than usual, experts analyze that pushing ahead with the election was the right direction in South Korea," adding, "The right to vote is something South Koreans value highly in democracy, and they understand how easily it can be rolled back or taken away."

The British Telegraph also reported on the same day, "South Korea is the first major democracy to hold an election amid the coronavirus pandemic," and predicted, "the U.S., Hong Kong, and Singapore governments, which will hold civilian elections, will closely follow South Korea's experimental voting process."

The British Guardian reported, "There are concerns that the election might spread the infectious disease, and the procedures such as disinfection before voting are complicated, but many voters agree that the election should be held as scheduled."

CNN also reported, "South Korea, which has never postponed an election in history, did not consider COVID-19 a reason to delay the election," and said, "Many voters agree with holding the election as planned."

However, it pointed out, "There is also an opinion that holding an election during such a time could lower voter turnout and that the election might be overshadowed by the pandemic issue, which could ultimately harm democracy."

CNN added, "But elections are essential to maintain voters' trust and the legitimacy of legislation," and warned, "Postponing elections allows those in power to hold onto power longer, and the fact that the postponement period is unilaterally decided by them can also be problematic."

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