Evony wrote: I don't know if this thread is the right one, but:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/18/world/asia/south-korea-presidential-election/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
Congrats Korea, you have the first female president!
Unfortunately, this may not be such a good thing. I was in Korea between July and January, and I saw the 2012 election unfold. The election was marred with widespread reports of voter fraud. Ballots being thrown out by the hundreds, votes being counted as the opposite party, etc. There is currently an official investigation into attempts by the National Intelligence Service to sway the election in Park's favor.
On her inauguration day, her first act as President was to put the military on high alert. Her rhetoric against the North has been just as harsh as the North's threats we've been reading so much about.
Only a few months in office, her government has faced multiple scandals. The biggest one of these was a sex and bribery scandal involving many of her cabinet appointments, including the Justice Minister.
Park is also the daughter of Park Chung-hee, the dictator who was assassinated by his own KCIA (now NIS) chief. During the campaign, she repeatedly defended the actions of her father.
It's important to remember that before the victory of the democratic movement in the late 80s and early 90s, South Korea had one of the most violent and oppressive governments in the world. A lot of the people who voted against Park fear that she may move Korea backward in time.
