Page 157 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

SOUTH KOREA 139

1. Human Resources and Facility Management

In the case that a voting or counting staff could not perform their duties because they were infected with COVID-19
or had come in close contact with an infected patient, the election commission secured reserve personnel from
among staff from public institutions or schools or individuals considered fair and neutral.

Step-by-Step Procedures for Cases of Election Commission Staff being isolated:
Step one: If less than 50% of the employees of an election commission office were quarantined and their
legally-required work could be handled by existing personnel, work was adjusted.

Step two: If 50% or more of the employees of an election commission office were unable to carry out their
legally-required duties due to being quarantined or for any other reason, the Si/Do19 office carried out the
tasks directly or provided support from a nearby commission. If it was deemed that it was difficult for a
nearby commission or the Si/Do commission to carry out the legally-required duties, the NEC provided human
resources.
Guidelines related to the closure of the polling stations:
If an early voting polling station had been disinfected and it was deemed there were no safety issues, the early
voting polling station could be used without changing location. If it was deemed it was unavoidable to change the
location of the early voting polling station, it should be moved to an alternative location or a temporary facility
such as a tent is installed on site..
The polling station manager would have had to immediately block and seal the slot of the ballot box in the presence
of voting observers, affix a special seal and transfer the ballot box to the relevant Gu/Si/Gun election commission.
Even if the closure of the facility has not been lifted before the start of voting, if a polling station had been
disinfected and it was deemed there were no safety issues, the polling station could be used without changing
location. If it was necessary to close the Polling Stations during Voting and if there was no alternative location, a
temporary facility such as a tent could have been installed at a nearby vacant spot and voting restarted.

If a counting centre was closed, even if there was an alternative location available it was not possible to change the
location of the counting centre due to the need to install counting equipment and facilities and due to the supply of
materials, the NEC would have secured a place to receive and store ballot boxes transferred from polling stations
on election day and once the closure of the facility had been lifted, the counting center would hold counting.
2. Management of Counting:
• Securing Counting Centre and Facilities
• Temperature Checks before Entering Counting Centres
• Wearing Masks and Disinfection
• Maintaining Order at Counting Centres
• COVID-19 Precautions
There were guidelines for Counting Centre Workers, Counting Observers, Supporting Staff, Media and Others
Watching Counting. Media and others were prohibited from entering the internal section of the counting centre
and viewing or reporting from the designated place.
3. Distribution Guidelines for Disinfectant and Supplies for Polling Stations and
Counting Centres:
A Total of 3,000,000 masks, 286,725 hand sanitizers, 20,730 thermometers, 315,381 packs in total / 75 sheets per
pack) Sanitizing tissues, 26,350 packs in total / 100 sheets per pack / Sizes S, M, L) Medical gloves, 1,256,300
packs in total / 50 sheets per pack Single-use vinyl gloves, 182,840 Face shields, 14,330 Type 4 protective clothing
were procured and distributed.

Disinfection periodicity: Disinfection was carried out before and after voting and counting after the first day of
early voting. It was carried out immediately after polling stations and counting centres were set up, was preferably
done six hours before voting or counting began, after voting and counting was finished and was done overnight to
minimise the disinfection period.
Disinfection Method: Sanitization was carried out inside and outside of polling stations and counting centres,
on the routes that people used (pathways, etc.) and in bathrooms, lifts etc., ULV was used to sterilise floating
bacteria inside and outside of polling stations and counting centres. An electric compression sprayer was also
used to sterilize the bacteria attached to surfaces of the facility, such as the entrance and in lifts. Disinfectants
approved by the Ministry of Environment for COVID-19 were used that allowed the facility to be used for six hours
after disinfection.
After the disinfection of polling stations was completed, no external persons were allowed to enter the polling
place until the voting began.