South Korea Elects First Female President

Park Geun-hye is the daughter of a former dictator
By Liam Carnahan,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 19, 2012 10:04 AM CST
South Korea Elects First Female President
South Korea's president-elect Park Geun-hye of the ruling Saenuri Party waves to supporters as she heads to her office from her house in Seoul, South Korea.   (AP Photo/Yonhap)

South Korea has elected its first female president in conservative candidate Park Geun-hye, who narrowly beating out liberal challenger Moon Jae-in with a 50.1% to 48.9% lead with 84% of votes counted, reports the BBC. More than 63% of South Koreans came out to cast their ballots this morning, despite frigid temperatures. Park is the daughter of former military leader Park Chung-hee, but her victory may be a sign that times are changing for South Korea, a nation that has struggled with sexism, notes the AP. Park has said that she's open to discussions with Pyongyang, but says it must first make strides toward nuclear disarmament. (More Park Geun-hye stories.)

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