President Who Managed the Coronavirus Crisis Wins Election by Absolute Majority in South Korea
- The Democratic Party of Moon Jae-in has won 180 of the 300 seats that were at stake. Since 1987, most of Jae-in’s votes in the first presidential elections after the dictatorship have been the highest. Participation has also risen to 66.2 per cent, the highest since 1992.
On Wednesday, South Korea held presidential elections, making it the first state in the world to hold presidential elections since the beginning of the pandemic. Despite the fact that the situation of the epidemic is under control, South Koreans have voted in favour of well-implemented security measures.
The use of the mask has been mandatory, and they have placed at least one meter away from each other. Before voting, they have been given the temperature, their hands have been washed and they have been given plastic gloves. Those affected by the fever have been transferred to other polling stations and subsequently disinfected.
Almost missing
South Korea was, at one point, the country that had the most victims in the world. But thanks to the prevention system put in place by the Government, it has been possible to maintain the number of infections and deaths. In total, 10,613 infections and 229 deaths were recorded. The new cases recorded in recent days are very few, below 30 of four consecutive days.
However, there are still people who are in quarantine because they have been in contact with the virus or because they are still sick. Some 13,000 people in quarantine have been able to exercise their right to vote following the closure of polling stations.
Victory supported by the coronavirus
Since 1987, South Korea had not seen such a result. The Conservative Party has remained at a distance of 103 seats from the 2011 elections. It can be said that the management of the coronavirus crisis has given victory to Jae-in, who did not see very possible the re-election of the president before the pandemic.
A scandal related to the then Minister of Justice and the stagnation of the economy left the president’s popularity at 30%, according to 2019 data. But its popularity also grew as the pandemic began, and what in January 2020 was 41%, today it is 57%.
Not only at the national level, but also at the international level, the president has the recognition of several authorities for the measures taken during the pandemic.
