Moon confirmed winner of election, starts duties of S. Korean presidency

SEOUL—South Korea’s National Election Commission (NEC) on Wednesday morning declared Moon Jae-in the winner of the presidential election and Moon started duties of presidency right after the confirmation.

According to the NEC, Moon secured 13,423,800 votes, or 41.08 percent of the total 32,807,908 votes cast, defeating his two main rivals by a large margin.

Local media reports said Moon’s inauguration ceremony will be held later at noon in the national assembly.

Moon’s victory was assured by local media outlets in an early stage of vote count on Tuesday night and Moon celebrated and gave a televised speech to the jubilant supporters gathering at the Gwanghwamun square in central Seoul.

Moon told supporters that he will become a president of all the people from Wednesday, and a president of unity, caring about those who did not support him in the election.

Moon, who lost narrowly to his predecessor Park Geun-hye in 2012, conveniently won this election as the conservative bloc was brought down by Park’s impeachment and arrest over corruption allegations.