South Korea votes for new president

Lee Jae-myung well ahead of rivals: polls

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South Koreans flocked to the polls yesterday to elect a new president, six months to the day after ex-leader Yoon Suk-yeol plunged the country into political chaos with his disastrous declaration of martial law.

After months of turmoil and a revolving door of lame-duck acting leaders, many South Koreans are eager for the country to move forward.

All major polls have put liberal Lee Jae-myung well ahead, with the latest Gallup survey showing 49% of respond-ents viewed him as the best candidate.

Kim Moon-soo, from the conserva-tive People Power Party (PPP), has trailed Mr Lee in the polls and was on 35% in the Gallup survey. Whoever emerges victo-rious will take office almost immediately and faces a bulging in-tray, including global trade vicissi-tudes chafing the export-driven economy, some of the world’s lowest birth rates and an emboldened North Korea rapidly expanding its mili-tary arsenal.