Turnout of ROK presidential polls expected to hit record high

The turnout of Republic of South Korea's (ROK) presidential election is widely forecast to hit a record high, reflecting great public interest in the polls triggered by the unprecedented impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal.

As of 3 p.m. local time (0600 GMT) Tuesday, the turnout was 63.7 percent, higher than the previous election's 59.3 percent tallied in 2012. This year's electorate of South Korea is 42,479,710 voters.

It was even higher than 61.9 percent recorded in the 1997 presidential election when the voting rate surpassed 80 percent and the presidential power was moved from conservatives to liberals for the first time.

An early voting, which was introduced in 2013 and first applied to this year's presidential election, was conducted from May 4-5 with a voting rate of 26.06 percent.

The high turnout indicated a surging demand for the transfer of presidential power with the impeachment of Park who is now on trial for bribery charges.

Polls began at 6 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Monday) and would last until 8 p.m. (1100 GMT). The voting was extended by two hours compared with the 2012 election.

The extended voting time and the first introduction of early voting are expected to raise this year's voting rate to a new high.

Moon Jae-in, a presidential candidate of the liberal Minjoo Party, cast his ballot at a polling station in Seoul along with his wife at about 8:30 a.m. (2330 GMT Monday), asking people to cast votes for making South Korea a real country.

Hong Joon-pyo of the former ruling Liberty Korea Party cast his ballot at 8:40 a.m. at a separate polling place. He said he would wait for the judgment of people.

Ahn Cheol-soo of the centrist People's Party told reporters after casting vote that he will wait for a wise judgment of the people.

According to the latest poll by Gallup Korea before the election day, Moon was a clear frontrunner with a support rate of 38 percent. No polls can be announced during the last week before the election.

Moon was followed by Ahn and Hong who garnered 20 percent and 16 percent each in support ratings.