Nuclear ambitions may sway Korean vote

FEARS of North Korean nuclear ambitions could determine South Korea’s presidential election today , with one main candidate advocating a tough line on the North, while his rival espouses a more conciliatory approach.

Security concerns on the divided Korean Peninsula vaulted to the forefront of campaign debate last week when North Korea declared that it would revive a frozen nuclear plant previously suspected of being used to make weapons.

The vote could also turn on attitudes toward Seoul's main ally the United States, whose 37,000-strong military force in South Korea has been the target of widespread outrage in recent weeks.