South Koreans have been voting in a presidential election and a former CEO is the man tipped to win after a campaign marred by scandal.

Former Seoul mayor and ex Hyundai Group executive Lee Myung-bak is looking to end ten years of liberal leaders, but he has been linked to an investment firm suspected of swindling millions of euros.

The fresh allegations have opened the prospect of the conservative candidate becoming the first president-elect under criminal investigation. He has already been declared the winner, according to one early exit poll.

The candidates are battling to succeed the liberal President Roh Moo-hyun, who ends his five-year term in February. According to opinion polls, the main issue for most of the country’s 37-million voters is the economy.

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