Moon declares election win, pledges to unify divided South Korea

Seoul

MOON Jae-in declared victory in South Korea's leadership race, pledging to unify the nation after nine years of conservative rule that culminated in the country's biggest street protests since the 1980s.

With 40 per cent of ballots counted in Tuesday's presidential election, Mr Moon received 39.5 per cent of votes, leading conservative Hong Joon-pyo, who had 26.5 per cent. Centrist Ahn Cheol-soo was third with 21.2 per cent. The winner needs a plurality of votes.