Polls open in South Korea's snap presidential election

South Koreans are heading to the polls to cast ballots in a snap presidential election triggered by the ouster of former conservative leader Yoon Suk-yeol over his short-lived martial law imposition in December.

The election commission says voting began at 6 am on Tuesday at 14,295 polling stations nationwide that will close at 8 pm. Observers say the winner could emerge as early as midnight.

More than 15 million people have already cast ballots during a two-day early voting period last week, accounting for nearly 35 percent of the country's 44.4 million eligible voters.

Hours before the voting began at 6 am local time, the candidates made their final sprint to gain voters a day ahead of the election, Yonhap News reported.

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Democratic Party and ruling People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo converged on the capital Seoul in their final push to shore up last-minute support.

Frontrunner Lee wrapped up his campaign in Seoul with a major rally in Yeouido Park, where tens of thousands of his supporters gathered, waving blue balloons.

Recalling the December 3 martial law declaration, he called on voters “to end the insurrection through voting”.

He added: “Voting, the ultimate weapon of those who hold sovereignty, is the most powerful weapon to end insurrection,” stressing that “voting is mightier than bullets”.

The latest poll showed Lee, 61, a human rights lawyer-turned-politician, in the lead with 49.2 percent, followed by Kim, 73, a former labour minister, with 36.8 percent.

Lee Jun-seok of the conservative New Reform Party is in third place with 10.3 percent.

The snap presidential election was triggered by the impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his abortive bid to invoke martial law last December.

South Koreans living overseas have already cast their votes during a two-day early voting period that took place last week.

According to the National Election Commission, some 44.4 million people in the country of 52 million are eligible to vote.

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Source: TRT