The winner of yesterday’s 18th presidential election, Park Geun Hye revealed in her victory speech today, “I will keep my promise to the people without fail; I will open up a new era for the Korean Peninsula through strong national security and trust-based diplomacy.”

Park, who gave her speech this morning at Saenuri Party HQ in Seoul after making the briefest of comments last night following her victory, noted the seriousness of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, saying, “North Korea's long-range missile launch was symbolic in showing how grave the security reality we are facing is.”

She added, “Concerns about Northeast Asian regional conflict and the global economic crisis are growing,” but went on, “I will work against the backdrop of an accurate perception of history to expand reconciliation, cooperation and peace in Northeast Asia.”

President-elect Park also commented on issues of divisiveness across region and gender lines that dog efforts to consolidate Korean democracy, stating that she plans to appoint people from every region, generation and gender even-handedly in order to maximize Korea’s potential.