Conservative candidate Lee Hoi-Chang has taken an early lead in the in South Korea's presidential election, according to the National Election Commission said.
With 10.45 percent of votes counted Lee was ahead with 50 percent to liberal candidate Roh Moo-Hyun's 45.6 percent, the commission said.
Exit polls released by South Korea's big three television networks projected that Roh would win the count by a narrow margin.