South Korea elects dictator's daughter first woman president

To some extent today's election was seen as a referendum on the legacy of Park's father, Park Chung-Hee.

More than three decades after he was assassinated, Park remains one of modern Korea's most polarising figures -- admired for dragging the country out of poverty and reviled for his ruthless suppression of dissent during 18 years of military rule.

He was shot dead by his spy chief in 1979. Park's mother had been killed five years earlier by a pro-North Korea gunman aiming for her father.

In an effort at reconciliation, Park publicly acknowledged the excesses of her father's regime during her campaign and apologised to the families of its victims. "I believe that it is an unchanging value of democracy that ends cannot justify the means in politics," she said.

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