Liberal Lee Jae-myung looks set to win South Korea’s snap presidential election, according to an exit poll.

Conducted by South Korea’s three major TV stations – KBS, MBC and SBS – the exit poll showed that Lee is projected to obtain 51.7 percent of the votes cast during Tuesday’s election.

His rival, conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo, trailed with 39.3 percent, in the election, which was called to find a successor for Yoon Suk-yeol, the conservative removed from office in April over his ill-fated imposition of martial law late last year.

The winning candidate is due to take office as soon as Wednesday, with the unusual circumstances having seen the usual two-month transition period dismissed.

Applause and cheers filled the situation room of the National Assembly, where Democratic Party officials were gathered as the result of the exit poll was announced.

Kim’s poor showing was not helped by the former-Yoon ally’s failure to convince a third-party candidate, Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party, to unify and avoid splitting the right-wing vote.

More to come …