The conservative ruling party candidate Park Geun-hye will become the first female president in the history of South Korea after winning Wednesday's election.<br/> <br />Speaking for the first time as president, Park vowed to keep her campaign promises.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT-ELECT PARK GEUN-HYE SAYING:<br/> <br />"I will definitely keep my promise to open a new era of the Korean peninsula through strong security and diplomacy on the basis of mutual trust."<br/> <br />With just over 51 percent of the vote, Park's win ensures the country's conservatives will remain in control after incumbent Lee Myung-bak finishes his termearly next year.<br/> <br />Residents in Seoul Thursday say they hope Park can stick to her promises of unity and security with tensions between the North and South still running high.<br/> <br />Park, who is daughter of the country's assassinated military ruler Park Chung-hee, later paid homage to her assassinated parents during a visit to the national cemetery.
