S. Korea holds parliamentary election amid pandemic

South Koreans began voting on Wednesday to elect members of parliament, wearing masks and plastic gloves as part of strict safety measures in one of the first national elections to be held amid the coronavirus pandemic.

About 14,000 polling stations were open at 6am (2100 GMT Tuesday) around the country, after disinfection. Special stations had been set up for early voting, and about 2,800 coronavirus patients were allowed to vote by mail.

The election is set to decide control of parliament and shape President Moon Jae-in’s ability to push through his agenda in the final two years of his administration. It includes a looser fiscal policy aimed at creating jobs, raising the minimum wage, and continued re-engagement with North Korea.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 27 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total infections to 10,564. The daily tally has hovered around 30 over the past week, most of them from overseas travelers, Reuters said.