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| Presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea, left, and Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative main opposition People Power Party are seen during the final TV debate hosted by the National Election Commission, held at local broadcaster KBS' studio on Seoul's Yeouido, March 2. Joint Press Corps |
Ruling party candidate Lee Jae-myung and main opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol are in a dead heat, with each sitting at slightly less than 50 percent of the vote, two exit polls showed Wednesday.
Lee of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was expected to pull in 47.8 percent of the votes against 48.4 percent for Yoon of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), according to a joint exit poll by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS.
In a separate exit poll by broadcaster JTBC, Lee was leading Yoon 48.4 percent to 47.7 percent.
Sim Sang-jung, the candidate of the minor progressive Justice Party, garnered 2.5 percent in the exit poll by KBS, MBC and SBS.
This year's election has been one of the closest presidential races in Korea's history, with Lee and Yoon neck and neck in opinion polls leading up to the vote.
![Nation goes to polls [PHOTOS]](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/178ac65c1dd8431893a4a478651c315b.jpg/dims/resize/112/optimize)
Vote counting is expected to begin across the nation shortly after 8 p.m. (Yonhap)
