Park, who campaigned under the slogan of “Ready female president,” defeated Moon Jae-in, standard-bearer of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), in the close race. Park secured 51.55 percent, while Moon won 48.02 percent.
Park, the eldest daughter of late President Park Chung-hee, will become the first female president of a country where men still dominate in almost all walks of life. Incumbent President Lee Myung-bak's single five-year term ends in February next year. Lee was banned from seeking reelection under the Constitution.
After she was sure to win the Dec. 19 election, the 60-year-old left her house in southern Seoul for Saenuri headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, around 10:30 p.m. to thank members of her camp.
She then headed to Gwanghwamun in the heart of the capital and gave a public speech.
In her speech, Park promised to keep her campaign promises in order to open an "era of people's happiness," achieve "people's grand unity" and improve people's livelihood.
Moon conceded his defeat in the hard-fought race at 11:13 p.m., saying that he was sorry for "failing to upheld the wishes" of people.
He conglaturated Park on her victory and asked people to support Park, winner of the 2012 presidential race.
Park fared better than expected in Seoul and surrounding areas. Voters in Seoul and adjacent cities accounted for about 45 percent of the total electorate.
An exit poll jointly released by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS forecast that Park would win the poll by a razor-thin margin with 50.1 percent of the vote against Moon with 48.9 percent.
Voter turnout stood at 75.8 percent, higher than the presidential elections in 2002 and 2007, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).
Of 40.5 million eligible voters, 30.7 million or 75.8 percent cast their ballots after voting began at 6 a.m. at 13,542 polling stations nationwide. The comparable figure stood at 70.8 percent in 2002 and 63.0 percent in 2007.
Park was elected presidential candidate of the conservative Saenuri Party in the party‘s primary on Aug. 20, by winning 84 percent of the votes cast.
In the 2007 primary of the Grand National Party, predecessor of the Saenuri Party, she was narrowly defeated by President Lee.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com