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SEOUL - South Koreans choose their next president on Wednesday, with a business-friendly conservative strongly tipped to capitalise on disenchantment at a decade of liberal rule.
Lee Myung-Bak, a former construction executive and ex-mayor of Seoul, is expected to become the nation's first leader from a business background if latest opinion surveys prove accurate.
After a campaign marked more by mud-slinging than serious debate, Lee has support ratings approaching 45 percent. His two closest rivals, Chung Dong-Young of the pro-government liberal United New Democratic Party and right-wing independent Lee Hoi-Chang lag far behind.
Many voters are nostalgic for the era of high growth which ended with the 1997 financial crisis, said political science professor Kim Dong-No of Yonsei University.
"Reformist slogans have lost much of their charm among voters," said Kim, citing high youth unemployment, a widening income gap, high educational costs and real estate prices which soared in recent years.
Growth has fallen to an annual average of 4.4 percent over the past decade, down from the pre-crisis average of eight percent.
"Lee is racing for victory. Voters' rebellion against the liberal government is working heavily in favour of him," Kim Il-Young, political science professor at Sungkyunkwan University, told AFP.
Analysts attribute Lee's popularity to expectations that he has the "can do" business background to reinvigorate the economy.
He led Hyundai Engineering and Construction in the boom years of the 1970s and 1980s. As Seoul mayor from 2002-2006 the man once nicknamed "the Bulldozer" pushed through major environmental projects, including opening up a hugely popular scenic stream through the heart of the city.
Economic woes have sidelined an issue that was prominent in the 2002 poll -- how to deal with North Korea. Despite its October 2006 nuclear test, the communist state was not seen as an important campaign issue, partly because moves to disable the nuclear programme are under way.
Liberal incumbent Roh Moo-Hyun pushed a "sunshine" engagement policy with the North and held a rare summit with its leader in October. But his achievements in easing ties failed to benefit liberal candidates, said Dongguk University professor Park Myung-Ho.
Campaigning has been characterised by bitter personal attacks. Front-runner Lee was dogged by allegations of past real estate speculation and tax evasion, and of involvement in a major fraud allegedly engineered by his former business partner.
Prosecutors this month cleared Lee, 65, of involvement but Chung kept up his attacks. His party is trying to impeach the prosecutors for alleged bias.
"Election campaign planks are drowned out by mud-slinging and character assassination and many voters do not even bother to learn about them," said Kim, the Sungkyunkwan University professor.
Reflecting the ebbing enthusiasm, turnout was expected to be considerably lower than the 70.8 percent in 2002. The electorate totals 37.67 million.
"As the election race is heavily tipped in favour of the front-runner, voters will be much less eager to show up than in past elections," a spokesman for the National Election Commission said.
Some 13,178 polling stations will open from 6:00am Wednesday (2100 GMT Tuesday) for 12 hours.
Election authorities said outline official results would become clear before midnight, but exit polls by major TV stations would indicate the trend immediately after polls close. - AFP/ir
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