Human rights lawyer Moon Jae-in is on the verge of becoming South Korea’s next president according to early results.
The Democratic Party’s candidate in the election, who hopes to replace ousted President Park Geun-hye, is seen to be defeating his opponents Hong Jun-pyo and centrist Ahn Cheol-soo, according to South Korean’s three main broadcasters.
Speaking to supporters Tuesday at a rally on Seoul’s historic Gwanghwamun Square, the site of mass protests that helped eject Park, Moon said he would be a “president for the people.”
The 64-year-old is seen to favour a more open policy towards North Korea.
Unlike his hard-line conservative predecessor, he favors engagement with Pyongyang and has challenged the deployment of a controversial US missile defense system.
South Koreans went to the ballot seeking to fill the void left by the impeachment of Park, who was ejected from office in March following a corruption scandal for which she’s awaiting trial.
