President Moon Jae-in called Tuesday for measures to guarantee voting rights of virus patients and people in self-isolation in the upcoming presidential election amid concerns that the ongoing COVID-19 crisis could prevent hundreds of thousands of voters from casting their ballots.

Under current election rules, it is virtually impossible for those who are diagnosed with COVID-19 after the early voting period that falls on March 4-5 and people who go into self-isolation just before the March 9 presidential election to cast their votes.

Moon ordered aides to come up with ways to ensure people infected with COVID-19 and those who are under quarantine can cast their votes in the March 9 presidential election, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. (Yonhap)