2012 South Korean Presidential Election - Wednesday Dec 19,2012

The 18th South Korean presidential election was held on Dec 19, 2012. It was the sixth presidential election since democratization and the establishment of the Sixth Republic, and was held under a first-past-the -post system, in which there was a single round of voting and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes was elected
Under the South Korean constitution, presidents are restricted to a single five-year term in office.
The term of incumbent president Lee Myung-bak's (Grand National Party)term will end in 24 February 2013 (after he was elected President in the 2007 Presidential Elections defeating Park Geun-hye and assumed office in February 2008)
At the end of 2011, Park Geun-hye assumed control of the Grand National Party, which was subsequently renamed the Saenuri or New Frontier Party in February 2012 .Opposition to Saenuri is divided primarily between the Democratic United Party and Independent supporters of Ahn Cheol-soo, who has emerged as a leading potential candidate despite his ostensible silence on the race.
Candidates of 2012 Presidential Election

1) Park Geun-hye of Saenuri or New Frontier Party
2) Moon Jae-in of  Democratic United Party

Results of the 2012 Presidential Election

30.7 million people voted with turnout at 75.8% and Park Geun-hye of the Saenuri Party was elected the first Female South Korean President with 51.6% of the vote as opposed to 48.0% for her opponent Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party.
Park Geun hye's share of the vote was the highest won by any candidate since the beginning of free and fair direct elections in 1987.

South Korea's president-elect Park Geun-hye burns incense as she visits the grave of her father Park Chung-hee, the country's former dictator, at the National Cemetery in Seoul, South Korea. Ms. Park has been elected the country's first female president, a landmark win that could mean a new drive to start talks with rival North Korea.