[VOTE] Moon makes triumphant gesture as joint exit poll predicts overwhelming victory

By Park Sae-jin Posted : May 9, 2017, 21:42 Updated : May 9, 2017, 21:42
 

[Photo by Namkung Jinwoong = timeid@ajunews.com]


Moon Jae-in, a former human right lawyer, made a triumphant gesture Tuesday as a joint exit poll predicted an overwhelming victory in an election to pick the successor of South Korea's jailed ex-president Park Geun-hye.

A cry of relief and joy filled the office of Moon's main opposition Democratic Party with dozens of party members simultaneously jumping up from their seats and clapping with victorious laughs, after the outcome of an exit poll conducted jointly by three major TV stations was announced.

A crowd of supporters chanted Moon's name fervently and swarmed around his black van to get a smartphone shot of the to-be president as he stepped out of his Seoul house and gave nods of appreciation with a smile.

The mood in his party office in parliament was more joyful as supporters and party members greeted Moon with a roar of claps. Moon raised his hands high with his thumb up and said South Korea opened a new chapter with Tuesday's voting.

"Today, South Korea is opening a new chapter," he said in a nationally televised message, attributing his victory to popular aspirations for a regime change. "That's the driving power to our victory today."

"I urge you to stay with me all the way so that I can fulfill your wishes of reformation of  the government."

Moon garnered 41.4 percent of all votes, according to the exit poll conducted by three major TV stations. Hong Joon-pyo of the conservative Liberty Korea Party grouping pro-Park supporters stood second with 23.3 percent while Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party, a splinter opposition group, was third with 21.8 percent.

Moon's victory was widely anticipated as he has been an outright leader in opinion polls from the outset of the race that began after Park was expelled from office on March 10.

The election wrapped up South Korea's painstaking march to set up a new democratic order and end a protracted leadership vacuum and political turmoil triggered by a corruption scandal that led to Park's shameful downfall.

Park, who took office in early 2013 as South Korea's first female president, is on trial on charges of abusing her power and conspiring with her crony, Choi Soon-sil, to extort money from Samsung and other top conglomerates in return for business favors.

She was impeached on December 9 at the height of anti-government protests that have seen millions of citizens taking to the streets in an unprecedented demonstration of people power.

It's South Korea's first presidential by-election, and the winner will be inaugurated quickly if the National Election Commission, a state watchdog, officially confirms victory.

Turnout was high at 77.2 percent, higher than 75.8 percent recorded in the last presidential election in 2012.. Of 42.48 million eligible voters, 11.07 million, or 26.06 percent, cast ballots last week in two-day advance voting.

Tuesday's election came at the height of widespread public aspirations to end deep-rooted collusion between politicians and businessmen that actually began with South Korea's rapid economic growth and industrialization under the rule of Park's father, Park Chung-hee, who seized power through a coup in 1961.

Initially, Ahn was a viable challenger to Moon, capitalizing on unexpected support from conservative voters in Park's regional stronghold, but his support shrank due to his poor showing in a series of TV debates. Voters were interested in security, welfare, jobs and economic justice, but most candidates failed to show sincere discussions on policy.

Park Sae-jin and Lim Chang-won


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