PM Modi congratulates South Korea’s Yoon Suk-Yeol on his victory in Presidential elections

Wishes poured in for the newly elected president of South Korea Yoon Suk-Yeol from all around the world after winning a majority against the opposition democratic party in the country's national elections.

PM Modi on Thursday extended his greetings to the newly elected president of South Korea Yoon Suk-Yeol and assured further strengthening of partnership and work together of 'look east' policy.

"I look forward to working with him to further expand and strengthen the India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership," PM Modi tweeted.

US President Joe Biden while congratulating the new leadership of South Korea reaffirmed his commitment to jointly address the North Korean threat.

In a statement, the White House said that Biden and Yoon affirmed the strength of the alliance between the two nations, "which is the linchpin for peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific".

China has congratulated Yoon Suk-Yeol on his election win as the new South Korean President, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Thursday.

China and South Korea are neighbours that cannot be moved away and important cooperative partners that cannot be separated from each other, Zhao said at a daily press briefing.

Opposition candidate Yoon Suk-Yeol was elected South Korea's next President on Thursday after an "unbelievably" close race that underlined deep divisions along regional, generational and gender lines and could weaken his mandate even before taking office.

With 99 per cent of the vote counted, Yoon of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) had 48.59 per cent of the vote against Lee Jae-Myung of the liberal Democratic Party (DP)'s 47.79 per cent, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the National Election Commission.

The less than 1 percentage point gap makes this year's election the closest ever.

"We, the people of the Republic of Korea, are one. Regardless of region, camp or class, the people of the Republic of Korea are equal people of this nation wherever they are and must be treated fairly," Yoon said in an address before party officials at the National Assembly.

(with IANS inputs)