Ex-top prosecutor elected South Korea’s new president

By HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A conservative former prosecutor declared victory in South Korea’s presidential election on Thursday after his liberal ruling party rival conceded defeat amid a bitter battle in the politically divided nation. People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk Yeol won 48.59% of the votes with around 98% of the ballots counted as of 4:00 a.m. Yoon is narrowly edging liberal rival Lee Jae-myung who garnered 47.80% of the votes. Yoon thanked his supporters outside his home in capital Seoul after what he described as a “long night.”