South Koreans lined up in record numbers to vote for a new president, joining lengthy queues to vote early in a poll triggered by the ex-leader's disastrous martial law declaration.
The country is battling to draw a line under months of political turmoil sparked by Yoon Suk Yeol's suspension of civilian rule last December, for which he was impeached and removed from office.
Since then, South Korea has been led by a revolving door of lame duck acting presidents, as its export-driven economy grapples with trade turmoil abroad and sluggish demand at home.
All major polls have placed liberal Lee Jae-myung as the clear frontrunner in the presidential race, with a recent Gallup survey showing 49% of respondents viewed him as the best candidate.
Trailing behind him at 35% is conservative ex-labour minister Kim Moon-soo, from the ruling People Power Party which Mr Yoon left this month.
While election day is set for 3 June, those who want to vote early are allowed to do so yesterday and today.
A record 24.5% of 44.4 million registered voters cast their ballots by 11am (2am Irish time), the National Election Commission said.
Long lines at polling stations have already prompted an apology from the National Election Commission, and a pledge to deploy more staff to ease overcrowding and reduce waiting times.
"I think people need to vote with their head, not their heart," said one voter in Seoul's Gangnam district.
Overseas voting also reached a new high, with 79.5% of the 1.97 million eligible voters casting their ballots last week.
'Restore democracy'
Whoever succeeds Mr Yoon will have to grapple with a deepening economic downturn, one of the world's lowest birth rates and a soaring cost of living.
He will also have to navigate a mounting superpower standoff between the United States, South Korea's traditional security guarantor, and China, its largest trade partner.
But analysts see martial law as the defining issue in the presidential race.
Kang Joo-hyun, a political science professor at Sookmyung Women's University, said the high turnout "naturally reflects the public's strong desire to restore democracy in South Korea".
"Overseas Koreans... more than ever, felt compelled to make their voices heard through the ballot, driven by a sense that the very foundations of South Korea's democracy were being shaken," said Ms Kang.
Mr Lee lost his 2022 bid for the presidency to Mr Yoon by the narrowest margin in South Korean history, with one of the main debates becoming gender issues.
The former school dropout rose to political stardom partly by highlighting his humble beginnings.
He has vowed to "bring insurrection elements to justice" if elected president.
Mr Lee has been a "central figure in the polarisation that has fuelled much of the country's political instability", he said.
"Unless he adopts a markedly more inclusive approach to governance, there's a strong chance that past conflicts will resurface."
