South Korea’s Ruling Progressive Party Wins Election

Highest turnout in 28 years despite COVID-19 pandemic

Voters wearing face masks in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 wait in line to cast their ballots at a polling station during the parliamentary election in Seoul, South Korea, on April 15, 2020. Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

SEOUL—South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s ruling progressive party won an absolute majority in parliamentary elections, results on Thursday showed, a victory some say have been propelled by his party’s current success in containing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, commonly known as the new coronavirus.

The election was watched around the world as one of the first nationwide votes since the pandemic began.