US lauds South Korea for successfully holding elections amid pandemic

The United States congratulated South Korea for successfully holding legislative elections and lauded its dedication to democratic values in the face of a pandemic. US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said in a statement that Seoul’s dedication to democratic values is a hallmark of a truly free, open, and transparent society.

Pompeo said that such qualities are necessary for battling the ongoing crisis which reflected in South Korea’s successful management of COVID-19, setting a model for others around the world. He further thanked the Republic of Korea for its partnership and its “commitment to peace and security” in the Indo-Pacific

South Korea has surprised the world by not only tackling the major public health crisis head-on but also ensuring successful legislative elections with adequate precautionary measures to avoid another outbreak. On April 14, millions of people lined up at polling booths while reportedly maintaining adequate distance and going under temperature check before casting their vote.

According to media reports, the voters were asked to sanitise their hands and put on disposable plastic gloves before voting. Anyone in the voting line who failed the temperature check or was not wearing a mask was escorted to separate polling stations and sanitised the facilities post voting.

Read: South Korea Conducts National Elections Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

The effective handling of the crisis, which the countries around the world still struggling to contain, was visible in the election results. South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s party won a landslide victory in the national assembly elections which is being seen as voters backing to government’s response to COVID-19.

Read: South Korea: 116 People Initially Cleared Of Coronavirus Again Test Positive

Biggest majority

In a 300-seat assembly seat, Moon's Democratic Party won 163 seats and its sister party, the Platform Party, was forecasted to bag a further 17 seats, taking the total to 180. According to a state news agency, it is the biggest majority in the national assembly by any party since 1987 when the country transitioned to democracy. 

Read: South Korea To Export 6 Lakh COVID-19 Testing Kits To US: Reports

Read: South Korea To Test All Travellers From US Amid COVID-19 Scare