Park sets ambitious goals for presidency

CNN) -- Emerging from victory, Park Geun-hye who will become the next president of South Korea -- the first woman for the Asian nation -- pledged to "take care of our people one-by-one."

In a speech made at the headquarters of her Saenuri political party Thursday morning, she invoked a phrase coined by her father, Park Chung-hee, who also served as president in an era when he was encouraging people to pull South Korea out of poverty.

"I would like to re-create the miracle of 'let's live well' so people can worry less about their livelihood and young people can happily go to work," said Park.

Park, 60, will assume office in February, in a country grappling with income inequality, angst over education and employment prospects for its youth, and strained relations with North Korea. South Korea is also a strategic Western ally and the fourth-largest economy in Asia.

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Park won 52% of the vote, compared with 48% for her rival, Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party, according to the country's National Election Commission.

Park acknowledged Moon, the liberal candidate, and his supporters Thursday.

"I believe there is common ground between myself and Moon Jae-in," Park said. "We are both willing to work for the country and for the people of South Korea.

"Whether you were for or against me, I want to hear your opinions. I will try to stop the separation and conflict that has been going on for the last half century through reconciliation and harmony."

Park of the Saenuri party, won the highest office in a conservative Asian nation with traditional gender values.

Park is the daughter of former President Park Chung-hee, whose legacy left the Korean public divided. Some claim he was a dictator who ignored human rights and cracked down on dissent, while others credit him with bringing economic development to South Korea. Her father was assassinated in 1979.

On Thursday, she paid her respects to her parents by visiting their graves at the National Cemetery in Seoul.

As in many other elections around the world, the economy reigned as the No. 1 issue for South Korean voters. Park has made ambitious promises to address those anxieties.

"I will create a society in which no one is left behind and everyone can share the fruits of economic development," she said. "I believe that only this can bring unity, economic democratization and happiness for people.

Park received congratulatory messages from Korea's outgoing President Lee Myung-bak as well as one from U.S. President Barack Obama whose office released this following statement: "I look forward to working closely with the Park Administration to further enhance our extensive cooperation with the Republic of Korea on a wide range of important bilateral, regional and global issues. The U.S.-ROK alliance serves as a lynchpin of peace and security in the Asia Pacific, and our two nations share a global partnership with deep economic, security, and people-to-people ties."

CNN's Soo Bin Park and Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report.

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