South Korea's centre-left Lee Jae-myung was declared president Wednesday after winning a snap election, taking the helm of a nation deeply divided after his predecessor's disastrous attempt to declare martial law.

Lee won a thumping victory over conservative Kim Moon-soo, of disgraced ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol's former party, with his term beginning immediately after the National Election Commission certified the vote tally early Wednesday.

Lee secured 49.4 percent of the vote, far ahead of Kim on 41.2 percent -- who was hampered by party infighting and a third party candidate splitting the right-wing vote.

South Korea typically has a longer transition period, but because Lee's victory came in a snap election after Yoon's impeachment, his term began right away.

"The National Election

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