South Koreans vote for new leader

asdasd
News code : ۴۸۷۴۵۶

South Koreans headed to voting stations on Tuesday to elect a new leader, with a potential record turnout suggesting voters are eager to move on from a corruption scandal that brought down the former president and shook the political and business elite.

Unless there is a major upset, liberal Moon Jae-in - who calls for a moderate approach on North Korea, wants to reform powerful family-run conglomerates and boost fiscal spending to create jobs - will be elected president.

The vote will end a months-long leadership vacuum. Former president Park Geun-hye was ousted on charges of bribery and abuse of power in March to become South Korea's first democratically elected president to be thrown out of office.

Park is in jail, on trial, but denies any wrongdoing. She had decided not to cast a vote, South Korean media reported.

The National Election Commission (NEC) said voter turnout was at 59.9 percent by 2 p.m. (1.00 a.m. ET), exceeding the 52.6 percent turnout seen at the same time in the previous presidential election in 2012.

The NEC forecasts total voter turnout reaching more than 80 percent, which would be the highest since President Kim Dae-jung was elected in 1997, when 80.7 percent of eligible voters cast ballots.

Moon, who lost narrowly to Park in 2012, has criticized the two former conservative governments for failing to stop North Korea's weapons development. He advocates a two-track policy of dialogue while maintaining pressure and sanctions to encourage change.

A Gallup Korea poll last Wednesday showed Moon with 38 percent support in a field of 13 candidates, with centrist Ahn Cheol-soo his nearest challenger on 20 percent.

Moon told reporters after casting his ballot he had "given the campaign his all" and urged South Koreans to vote.

Moon's spokesman, Park Kwang-on, hoped for voter turnout of more than 80 percent.

"This election has a completely different historic meaning compared to previous elections as it was prompted by the country's first presidential impeachment," spokesman Park said.

Ahn, who voted earlier at a different polling station, said he would wait for the people's "wise decision". Other presidential candidates were also seen voting early in the day.

A quarter of voters cast ballots in early voting last week, a figure seen driven higher by the participation by younger people.

Polls will close at 8 p.m. (1100 GMT), two hours later than in 2012.

END

endNewsMessage1
Comments