UPDATE - South Korean opposition leader Lee elected president in snap polls triggered by martial law

ADDS FINAL VOTE COUNT, CHANGES LEDE

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was elected as the country’s 14th president in snap polls triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid.

With all of the votes counted, Lee had secured more than 49.42%, while Kim Moon-soo of the outgoing ruling People Power Party received 41.15%, according to voting data published by Yonhap News Agency.

Lee received more than 17 million votes.

Some 79.4% of a total 44.3 million eligible voters cast their ballots in the country's 21st presidential election, including South Koreans living overseas.

The provisional voter turnout was the highest in 28 years.

Lee’s rival conceded defeat even before vote counting was completed.

The snap polls were triggered when former President Yoon, in a failed bid, imposed martial law last December, following which he was impeached by parliament and subsequently ousted from office by South Korea's Constitutional Court in April.