SEOUL—Liberal politician Moon Jae-in won South Korea’s presidential election on Tuesday, an exit poll showed, an expected victory that would end nearly a decade of conservative rule and bring a more conciliatory approach toward North Korea.
A decisive win for Moon would end months of political turmoil that led to parliament’s impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye over an extensive corruption scandal.
The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment in March, making Park the first democratically elected leader in South Korea to be removed from office and triggering a snap election to choose her successor.
Wearing a dark blue suit and blue tie, Moon was seen shaking hands with supporters and party officials and smiling on his way to a meeting of his Democratic Party after the exit poll results were announced.
“We will need to calmly wait and see as this was just exit polls,” he told party members. “But if things go on this way and we win, today’s victory is thanks to sheer desperation of the people who wanted a regime change.”
“We will accomplish the two tasks given to us, reform and national unity that the people of this country desire.”
