Ghosts of presidents past haunt South Korea vote

South Koreans choose a new leader on Wednesday in an election shadowed by the ghosts of two dead presidents – the assassinated dictator Park Chung-hee and the left-wing Roh Moo-hyun, who took his own life.

The ballot is a face-off between Park’s daughter, Park Geun-hye of the ruling conservative party, and Roh’s former chief of staff and close friend Moon Jae-in of the liberal opposition party.

The spectral presence of the two former presidents – and the powerful emotions they still provoke – means that the election will, in part, amount to a vote on the legacy of both men.

Park Chung-hee is probably the most polarising figure in South Korea’s history – either admired for leading the country out of poverty or reviled for the iron-fisted way he did so during 18 years of tough military rule.

He was shot dead by his spy chief in 1979.

Roh, a former human rights lawyer, promised a new start when he came to power in 2003 but his administration ended chaotically five years later – his party racked by scandal and infighting and his economic reforms shelved.