Health authorities, acknowledging that voting in the June 1 elections by people infected with COVID-19 may increase the risk of transmission, vowed to implement countermeasures in advance.

In a Thursday briefing, a senior official at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, Park Young-jun said that no major irregularities resulted when quarantine was temporarily suspended in the past, for example at state exams. He promised to make thorough preparations based on such precedents.

As of Thursday, over 171-thousand people are recovering from COVID-19 at home. With 20 percent of that number aged 18 and younger, more than 100-thousand patients are eligible voters.

The government is expected to announce on Friday whether the country will further loosen mandates, a move that may include lifting the isolation period for COVID-19 patients.

If this takes place, patients are likely to cast ballots alongside other voters on June 1 without setting aside separate time slots.

However if the current isolation scheme is maintained, the National Election Commission will limit voting by COVID-19 patients to specific hours for early voting as well as on election day.