Police to beef up security to highest level for presidential election

Police will deploy a total of 68,786 personnel to provide security at polling and counting stations across the nation during Wednesday's presidential election, officials said Monday.

The personnel will be deployed to 14,464 polling stations and 251 ballot counting stations as police will go on higher alert on the election day for possible emergencies, officials said.

Police also plan to set up hotlines between polling places and police stations to respond to possible contingencies, and patrol the voting stations once an hour until 6 p.m. and twice per hour between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. when COVID-19 patients cast their votes.

Armed police officers will also provide escort for National Election Commission officials transporting ballot boxes to the counting stations, officials said. (Yonhap)