It has been confirmed that the Democratic Party‘s Moon Jae In has won the Korean election with 41.4% of the total vote.
After the massive scandal leading to Park Geun Hye‘s impeachment in March, Korean’s came out in full force to decide who the country’s next president would be.
Engagement for this election was high. Polling stations saw a record turnout as an estimated 80% of eligible South Koreans cast their vote.
Moon Jae In, who previously worked as a human rights lawyer, went into election day as a clear favorite.
Exit polling reported by major broadcasting stations had Moon Jae In winning with 41.4% of the vote, while his closest challenger Hoon Joon Pyo trailed behind with just 23.3%.
As he made his way to a polling station earlier, and in the wake of the recent corruption scandal surrounding former president Park, Moon shared his thoughts about what he believes the Korean people wanted from the election.
“I feel that not only my party and myself, but also the people have been more desperate for a change of government.”
— Moon Jae In
Moon, who unsuccessfully ran against Park in 2012, represents a drastic change for Korea, as he has proposed several major changes in both domestic and international policy.
This could also be a win for Korea’s LBTQ+ community if Moon Jae In’s moderately progressive stance on homosexuality makes its way into policies.
While previous governments had been eager to cut ties with Kim Jong Un‘s isolated state, Moon Jae In hopes to initiate closer dialogues with North Korea. He also strongly spoke about reforming the huge conglomerates that dominate South Korea’s economy.
Source: New York Times, and BBC
