FORMER HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER WINS IN SOUTH KOREA|南韓政黨輪替 文在寅當選總統今就職

After months of political turmoil caused by former South Korean President Park Geun-hye's corruption scandal, a new president was elected yesterday. Out of the three front runners, liberal candidate, Moon Jae-in was elected with 41 percent of the vote. Moon Jae-in, 64, the son of North Korean refugees, won with around 41 percent of the vote. He must lead a country still deeply divided between conservative and liberal factions. Moon must navigate political chaos left by former president Park Geun-hye, whose father once jailed Moon for leading student protests. In his victory speech, Moon promised to try to unify the country. ==MOON JAE-IN South Korean President-elect == From tomorrow, I will become everyone's president. I will become a president who unifies people and serves even those people who did not support me. Mr. Moon has returned the nation's liberals to power after nearly a decade, as the conservative establishment is in disarray after the corruption scandal which toppled Park. Moon argues that it is time to engage in dialogue with North Korea, an approach favored by China, but which may cause a rift with the US. == MOON JAE-IN South Korean President-elect== It is the great victory of great people who have gone through (the election) together in order to make a just nation, a unified nation, and a nation where principles and common sense work. Moon claimed victory after his two closest rivals Hong Jun-pyo, of the Liberty Korea Party and Ahn Cheol-soo, of the centrist People's Party conceded, with 25 and 21 percent respectively. Hong felt that he had somehow saved the former Saenuri Party, now known as the Liberal Korea Pary, of toppled President Park Geun-hye from complete disgrace. ==HONG JUN-PYO Liberty Korea Party presidential candidate== If the exit polls are true, I will just be satisfied with the fact that I re-established the Liberty Korea Party I accept this time's election results and am satisfied with the reestablishment of the party. Thank you all. Interestingly, as the US administration is urging the world to step up pressure on Pyongyang, now the most critical ally and one with the most at stake in any conflict with the North may break ranks and adopt a more conciliatory approach. Moon has said that South Korea must 'embrace the North Korean people to achieve peaceful reunification one day.' Moon will be officially sworn in as South Korea's new president after the election commission finishes the vote count and declares the winner on the morning of May 10. There isn't the usual two-month transition because the May 9 vote was a by-election to choose a successor to Park, whose term was to end in February 2018. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR