South Korean Presidential Election.

[Pinko-rean]

will be held tomorrow.

There's a rumor going around that the oldest son of Kim Jong-Ill is going to have an exclusive interview today.

[RogueBeaver]

Which would presumably help Park, similar to how certain PRC/ROK actions boosted Abe in Japan.

[Pinko-rean]

IMO, this interview can be backfired. It all depends on Mr.Moon and Democratic Party. 

[Foucaulf]

Polls have closed in the election. Official results, I think, can be found here. Park is on the leftmost column, Moon one to her right.

The race is within-MOE close, though Park has the edge in exit polling. Someone else will have to fill the gaps in my knowledge, fascinating as this election is.

[Foucaulf]

With a 3.6% lead and 70% of the vote counted, Korea's major TV channels have projected Park as the winner. Final turnout is around 76%, substantially higher than the past two presidential elections.

[Benj]

With the usual comical levels of polarization typical of Korean elections. Moon Jae-in wins 92% in Gwangju, 89% in South Jeolla and 86% in North Jeolla. Park Geun-hye wins everywhere else but Seoul (which Moon Jae-in won with 51% of the vote), including 81% in North Gyeongsang and 80% in Daegu. North Gyeongsang and North Jeolla share a border, by the way.

The eternal war between Baekje and Silla continues.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

With the usual comical levels of polarization typical of Korean elections. Moon Jae-in wins 92% in Gwangju, 89% in South Jeolla and 86% in North Jeolla. Park Geun-hye wins everywhere else but Seoul (which Moon Jae-in won with 51% of the vote), including 81% in North Gyeongsang and 80% in Daegu. North Gyeongsang and North Jeolla share a border, by the way.

The eternal war between Baekje and Silla continues.

Gwangju is a FF city.

[Nhoj]

With the usual comical levels of polarization typical of Korean elections. Moon Jae-in wins 92% in Gwangju, 89% in South Jeolla and 86% in North Jeolla. Park Geun-hye wins everywhere else but Seoul (which Moon Jae-in won with 51% of the vote), including 81% in North Gyeongsang and 80% in Daegu. North Gyeongsang and North Jeolla share a border, by the way.

The eternal war between Baekje and Silla continues.

Gwangju is a FF city.

Indeed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwangju_Democratization_Movement

[ottermax]

Why is there such extreme polarization?

[Zuza]

Why is there such extreme polarization?

Wikipedia has some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_South_Korea#Regional_differences.

[Benj]

Why is there such extreme polarization?

Wikipedia has some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_South_Korea#Regional_differences.

As I said, the eternal war between Baekje and Silla continues.

[Peter the Lefty]

So Park wins.  Well, I can't exactly rejoice on ideological grounds, but still a landmark to be acknowledged and even celebrated. 

[RogueBeaver]

Especially after all the misoygnistic crap she had to endure- even people saying she was a WINO.

[Pinko-rean]

It's not about Baekje and Silla.

This country had been united for 1500 years after the conflict between Silla and Baekje.

In fact, Jeolla voted for the late President Park ( Father of the president-elect Park)

The main reason is

Gwangju Democratization Movement.

Nothing more, nothing less.

[Benj]

It's not about Baekje and Silla.

This country had been united for 1500 years after the conflict between Silla and Baekje.

Doesn't mean cultural and identity differences don't persist.

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Narrowly, in 1963. It voted against him in subsequent elections. Polarization was quite evident in the 1971 election, well before Gwangju (and, though Jeolla was not yet an anti-Park stronghold in 1967, the east-west polarization was already quite obvious).

Also, 1963 looks highly unlike later elections and came at a time when democracy was far from mature in South Korea and when rural areas in general had few qualms with a strongman as a leader (while Seoul was less comfortable). The 1963-1967-1971 evolution is interesting as a source of insight into modern elections, but it hardly disproves the notion that the polarization of Korean politics is of recent origin. Rather, it suggests that, as the country settled into early democracy, identity politics asserted themselves quite boldly. Gwangju certainly crystallized support for the democrats in Jeolla but was hardly the cause.

[Benj]

Also, Wikipedia has a map by municipality now. The Jeolla-Gyeongsang border continues to be hilarious: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Presidential_election_of_South_Korea_2012_result_by_municipal_divisions_svg.png