Park pledges unity after winning office

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.

Speaking for the first time as president, Park vowed to keep her campaign promises.

(SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT-ELECT PARK GEUN-HYE SAYING:

"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."

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.

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.

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.