[News Today] 21st Presidential election underway

[LEAD]
Across South Korea, voters are heading to the polls to elect the nation's 21st president. This comes six months after martial law was declared on December 3.

Today, News Today brings you in-depth coverage of this pivotal election.

Early voting recorded the second highest turnout in history, drawing keen attention to whether the final turnout will surpass the 77 percent mark seen in past elections. As of 2p.m. Korea time, voting has recorded 65.5%.

Voting runs until 8 p.m., and the winner is expected to come into view around midnight.

[REPORT]
Voting began simultaneously at 6 a.m. at over 14,200 polling stations across the nation.

Eligible voters went to the polls beginning early in the morning to cast their ballots.

Voting is running smoothly with the hourly voter turnout rate remaining higher compared the 20th presidential election.

In last week's early voting, the voter turnout stood at 34.74 percent, the second highest in history, following the rate in the 2022 presidential election.

All eyes are on whether or not the final voter turnout will exceed the 77-percent mark recorded in the two previous presidential elections.

The National Election Commission is closely monitoring each polling station and the stored ballot boxes from early voting via surveillance screening monitors installed at its situation room.

Voting ends at 8 p.m. today.

Once the voting ends, ballot boxes will be delivered to 254 counting stations nationwide.

Vote counting will likely begin at around 8:30 p.m.

If votes are counted smoothly without a hitch, it will likely become clear who is going to win the election as early as midnight or before dawn.

Political parties and their candidates are encouraging voters to head to the polls, stressing that each ballot cast is important for the nation's future.

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