Seoul | A joint exit poll shows that liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung is forecast to win the South Korean presidential election.

The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations -- KBS, MBC and SBS -- showed Lee was projected to obtain 51.7% of the total votes cast during Tuesday's election, beating conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo with 39.3%.

The election is meant to find a successor of Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who was removed from office in April over his ill-fated imposition of martial law.

The wining candidate is to take office as president on Wednesday without the usual two-month transition period.