South Korea Elects First Female President

On Wednesday, Park Geun-hye was elected President of South Korea. She will be the first woman to ever hold the position in that country.

Park, the leader of the country's conservative party, defeated liberal Moon Jae-in by 3.5%, and promised to return the conservative leadership to a more moderate stance than her predecessor Lee Myung-bak. Her campaign featured economic reform, as well as a "women's revolution" featuring issues like child care. However, some critics argue that while she may be willing to advance some women's rights issues, she may not be a champion for gender equality in the country. She also has promised firm reform in relations with North Korea.

Park is the daughter of Park Chung-hee, the dictator who led the country until his assassination in 1979. After her mother was killed in a failed assassination attempt of her father in 1974, Park Geun-hye filled the public role of "First Lady" next to her father.

Media Resources: Christian Science Monitor 12/20/12; TIME 12/19/12

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