South Korea’s parliament yesterday approved plans to provide a special time for COVID-19 patients to vote during the March 9 presidential election as the country grapples with a record-breaking omicron surge.
The proposed revision of an election-related law will take effect if it is endorsed by the Cabinet Council and signed by the president — steps widely considered a formality since the governing and opposition parties have already agreed on the measure.
Voters diagnosed with highly infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and others placed in quarantine would be allowed to visit polling stations and cast ballots after regular voting closes at 6 p.m., according to a copy of the legislation on the website of the National Assembly. The special voting time would close at 7:30 p.m.
Virus patients who have already applied for postal ballots in a now-ended registration period can still vote by mail, according to the National Election Commission.
Commission officials said they will work out details such as whether to install separate polling booths for sick voters and what protective gear polling officers would wear.
