Park received congratulatory messages from Korea 's outgoing President Lee Myung-bak as well as one from U.S. President Barack Obama . Park Geun-hye will become next president of South Korea . The ruling party has been in power for more than a decade and is expected to win the election on May 9. South Korea is a strategic Western ally and Asia 's fourth-largest economy .
Park Geun-hye will become next president of South Korea . The ruling party has been in power for more than a decade and is expected to win the election on May 9. South Korea is a strategic Western ally and Asia 's fourth-largest economy .