Yoon vows to open era of national unity

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly, Thursday. Joint Press Corps

President-elect seeks to restore values in democracy, market economy

By Nam Hyun-woo

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) vowed Thursday to rebuild the nation based on justice and common sense and open an era of national unity. Yoon was elected as the 20th President of Korea by a razor-thin margin in Wednesday's election.

He also vowed to strengthen democracy and fight corruption to get the nation back on what he called the right track.

During a news conference held at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday, Yoon said the Korean public chose him to be their next president because they pin hopes on his 26 years of experience as a prosecutor who fought for justice to bring back fairness despite the odds.

"People are calling on me to rebuild the nation based on fair competition and common sense and work to achieve unity instead of dividing the country," he said. "The Yoon Suk-yeol administration will restore values in democracy and market economy, and open an era of unity and prosperity."

To integrate the nation, he vowed to end partisan politics and put national interests first.

Yoon has achieved the conservative bloc's long-cherished wish of ousting the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) from power, but daunting tasks await the former prosecutor general because the country remains sharply divided between those who support the People Power Party (PPP) and the DPK, amid social, economic and diplomatic challenges which will test the novice politician's capabilities.

Yoon clinched his victory after staging the closest presidential race in Korea's history. He secured 48.56 percent of ballots in Wednesday's presidential election to outpace Lee who won 47.83 percent. The gap between the rivals was 0.73 percentage point or 247,077 ballots.

The smallest gap before Wednesday's election was the 15th presidential election in 1997, in which National Congress for New Politics candidate Kim Dae-jung beat Hannara Party candidate Lee Hoi-chang by 390,557 ballots or 1.53 percentage points.

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, center, salutes to the national flag during his visit to Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps

Since it was a neck-and-neck race, the result was uncertain until nearly 98 percent of total votes were counted at 3:50 a.m. Just minutes before Yoon was confirmed as the winner, the DPK's Lee Jae-myung conceded his defeat and asked Yoon to pave the way for national unity.

Yoon vowed to reach out to the public through the media and strengthen communication with the National Assembly which is dominated by the DPK with 172 out of 300 parliamentary seats.

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a call with the U.S. President Joe Biden at the former's home in Seocho District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of People Power Party

Yoon started his first day as president-elect by receiving congratulatory phone calls from President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden.

Yoon said he told Moon that he will visit the President "as soon as possible" and ask for his advice in running state affairs. According to Presidential Spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee, Moon said, "It is important to get away from the national conflicts and disputes during the campaign period and seek public unity."

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"Even though there are differences in political views, there are many state affairs that continue in administrations, and there are things that Presidents need to transfer between themselves," Moon said. "I will assist the president-elect to ensure a smooth transition of office without a vacuum."

Yoon told reporters that Biden said he is looking forward to meeting the President-elect after his inauguration and wants to have discussions for the further development of Korea-U.S. relations.

According to the PPP's campaign team, Yoon expressed his respect for the U.S.' role of leading the international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Biden said Korea is also playing a key role in the issue.

Biden was also quoted as saying that the U.S. is closely monitoring developments in North Korea, and stressed the importance of close coordination between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo in responding to Pyongyang's recent ballistic missile provocations.

During the call, Biden asked Yoon to visit the White House after his inauguration, and Yoon expressed his gratitude for the invitation, according to the PPP.

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, left, poses as People Power Party Rep. Chang Je-won, right, applauds during their canvassing in Busan, Friday. Chang was named as Yoon's chief of staff. Yonhap

Also on Thursday, Yoon reportedly appointed as his chief of staff, PPP. Rep. Chang Je-won, and People's Party head Ahn Cheol-soo as the chairman of the presidential transition committee.

During the press conference, Yoon said he has yet to consider detailed staff appointments, denying a news report that he had already picked Chang and Ahn. But he described Chang as his "chief of staff" during a meeting with Moon's Chief of Staff Yoo Young-min after the conference.

Chang is regarded as one of the closest aides to Yoon. The lawmaker has played a pivotal role in breaking a deadlock in the coalition between Yoon and Ahn, in which the rival gave up his presidential bid to endorse Yoon as the unified candidate.

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, left, shakes hands with former People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo after the former confirmed his victory in the presidential election at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. Ahn gave up his presidential bid to support Yoon. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-keun

When Yoon takes office on May 10, major changes are expected in the government's structure, economic policies and diplomatic strategies.

Yoon has pledged that his administration will focus on "rebuilding" the alliance between Seoul and Washington so it can serve as a strong deterrent against Pyongyang's threats.

"We are taking on the task of improving [South] Korea's diplomatic capability amid North Korea's growing nuclear threats and intensifying U.S.-China competition," Yoon said during the press conference. "To protect the people's safety and the country's sovereignty, I will build a strong national defense capability which can deter any provocation. … I will rebuild the Korea-U.S. alliance and strengthen it further by sharing the value of liberal democracy, free market and human rights."

Yoon also said he will firmly respond to North Korea's provocations, but added that the window for dialogue will remain open.

Large-scale government restructuring is also expected.

Yoon pledged to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and rebrand it to focus on gender equality rather than its current function of concentrating on women's rights.

Yoon also promised to move the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the Government Complex in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. He said his administration will determine what to do with Cheong Wa Dae through public discussions.

Turning to economic growth, Yoon said he will make sure that the country's economy is not swayed by government-led policies but determined by market principles. He also stressed the importance of the virtuous cycle between growth and welfare.

"Without growth, welfare cannot be sustained," Yoon said. "Through comprehensive assistamce for technological innovation, I will put the country's slow-growth economy back on track for growth."