South Korea's liberal party candidate Lee Jae-myung is projected to win Tuesday's snap presidential election by wide margins, according to exit polls, ushering in a political sea change after backlash against martial law brought down his predecessor.

South Koreans headed to the polls in record numbers on Tuesday to vote for a new president exactly six months after the botched martial law decree by impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol unleashed political turmoil.

After months of political turmoil in South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, the center-left candidate, is predicted to win the presidential election by a wide margin on Tuesday, according to the results of an exit poll conducted by the country’s three main television stations.