Yoon elected president after remarkably close race, Yonhap

SEOUL. KAZINFORM Opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol was elected South Korea's next president Thursday after an unbelievably close race that underlined deep divisions along regional, generational and gender lines, and hands him a daunting task to narrow those chasms.

With all the votes counted, Yoon of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) had 48.56 percent of the vote and Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) took 47.83 percent, according to the National Election Commission, Yonhap reports.

The 0.73 percentage-point gap makes this year's election the closest ever.

«We, the people of the Republic of Korea, are one. Regardless of region, camp or class, the people of the Republic of Korea are equal people of this nation wherever they are, and must be treated fairly,» Yoon said in an address before party officials at the National Assembly.

«I will consider national unity as my top priority,» he said.

Yoon also described his election as a «victory of the great people.»

Ruling party candidate Lee conceded defeat and congratulated Yoon.

«I did my best but failed to live up to your expectations,» he said. «All responsibility lies with me. I extend my congratulations to candidate Yoon Suk-yeol.»

Yoon said that he learned during the campaign «what is required in order to become a national leader and how to listen to the voices of the people.»

He also thanked his competitors Lee and Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justice Party.

«Our competition is over for now,» he said. «We must work together to become one for the people and for the Republic of Korea.»

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