South Korean voters were seen giving President Moon Jae-in’s party control of the parliament in an election that took place amid a pandemic. Voter turnout was projected to rise to its highest level in 28 years. Early counts and exit poll results suggested dominance of the ruling Democratic Party on the back of the successfully flattening of the coronavirus curve, in comparison to other countries struggling with mounting death tolls. “There was something like expectation t

Politics April 15, 2020

President Moon Jae-in's ruling Democratic Party and its satellite party are set to win a majority in Wednesday’s general elections, an exit poll conducted by terrestrial broadcasters showed. According to the exit poll conducted by the country’s three terrestrial broadcasters, the ruling bloc is likely to grab at least 153 seats in the 300-member unicameral National Assembly. The main opposition United Future Party, combined with its satellite party Future Korea Party, is projecte

Politics April 15, 2020

Voters headed to polling stations Wednesday for the general elections, with the turnout projected to hit a record high in nearly two decades. In this year’s general elections, 253 constituency and 47 proportional representative seats are being contested. As of 3 p.m., 56.5 percent of voters -- including those who took part in early voting -- had cast their ballots. By region, South Jeolla Province had the highest voter participation at 60.8 percent follow by North Jeolla Province at

Politics April 15, 2020

Voting in Korea’s general elections got underway at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, with 8 percent of voters casting their ballots as of 9 a.m. In this year’s general elections, 253 constituency and 47 proportional representative seats are being contested. According to the National Election Commission, just over 3.53 million of 43.99 million voters had cast their ballots by 9 a.m. in the voting that continues until 6 p.m. The early voting participation rate will be included in the overall

Politics April 15, 2020

The leaders of the Associatation of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three on Tuesday held a teleconference Tuesday to seek ways to cooperate against the COVID-19 pandemic, and adopted a joint declaration. 　 In the ASEAN Plus Three summit, President Moon Jae-in called for strengthened cooperation, saying the current situation requires “extraordinary cooperation.” “This is a crisis that cannot be overcome by the efforts of individual countries,” Moon said, going on to cite

Foreign Affairs April 14, 2020

With masks and gloves on, Koreans go to the polls to elect their parliamentary representatives in nationwide elections Wednesday, becoming the first country to do so amid a global virus pandemic. With 300 seats up for grabs, the ruling and main opposition parties concentrated on the capital area on Tuesday, in a last-minute attempt to sway voters on the last day of election campaigns. With 121 of 253 constituencies located in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, the three regions are consi

Politics April 14, 2020

The country’s two main political parties are scrambling to reach out to voters, with both sides highlighting the perceived failures of their rivals ahead of Wednesday’s general elections. Rep. Lee Hae-chan, head of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, on Monday highlighted the importance of Seoul and the surrounding regions in the general elections and urged voters to pick the party’s candidates in constituency elections while picking the Citizen Party for proportional repr

Politics April 13, 2020

With more than a quarter of the constituencies in the balance in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, the ruling and main opposition parties are concentrating much of their firepower in the region in the run-up to the general elections. On Thursday, both the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and main opposition United Future Party fielded heavyweights in the region to support their candidates’ campaigns, as they each seek at least half of the 72 constituencies there. The ruling party is said

Politics April 10, 2020

The government is considering limited lifting of self-isolation measures to enable individuals whose movements have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to vote in the general elections.  According to the National Election Commission, concerned government agencies are considering a number of measures for those affected by the isolation and quarantine measures.  Korea currently enforces a two-week isolation period -- at home or in government facilities -- on those arriving from ove

Politics April 8, 2020

President Moon Jae-in continued telephone conversations with foreign leaders on Tuesday, in a sign of the bolstered profile of the country amid the deepening global COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, he spoke with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia and President Andrzej Duba of Poland, continuing the series of telephone conversations. Moon has spoken with leaders of 19 countries since Feb. 20, when he held a phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The other leaders include

Foreign Affairs April 7, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Monday urged South Korean banks to ensure that the government’s financial measures against the COVID-19 pandemic are executed as smoothly as possible. Speaking at a meeting with heads of major private and state-run financial institutions, Moon stressed the importance of the financial sector’s role in shoring up the economy against the impact of the pandemic. “The finance (sector) is like the medical staff on the frontlines of quarantine. Just as th

Politics April 6, 2020

The campaigns for the April 15 general elections are heating up, with the ruling and main opposition parties each hoping to secure the majority of constituencies. While there are only 253 constituencies up for grabs, both the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition United Future Party are projecting victory in 123 to 130 constituencies. The Democratic Party considers its candidates to have the upper hand in 134 of the 253 constituencies, while the United Future Party considers victo

Politics April 5, 2020

Campaigns for general elections have kicked off, with both mainstream parties vowing victory, but the outlook remains unclear. Thursday saw the start of the official campaign period for the April 15 general elections, which includes proportional representative parties for the first time, adding new variables to the mix. Recent polls show that both the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and main opposition United Future Party’s support ratings, and those of their satellite parties, have

Politics April 2, 2020

South Korea on Wednesday implemented a 14-day mandatory isolation procedure for all visitors from abroad, stepping up efforts to limit the influx of novel coronavirus infections. From midnight Tuesday, Koreans and foreign nationals arriving from aoverseas are required to enter 14 days isolation at home or in government facilities regardless of having symptoms linked to COVID-19. Those staying in government facilities are required to cover the daily cost of about 100,000 won ($81). While the

Social Affairs April 1, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday stressed the need to limit an influx of COVID-19 cases from overseas, calling for stern legal measures against those who violate related regulations.　 At the meeting, the government also postponed the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030, or P4G, summit scheduled to be held in Seoul in June to next year.　 Speaking at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Moon said that while the outbreak is slowing in Korea, the country must remain vigilant as each

Politics March 31, 2020