Seoul, Rajab 06, 1437, April 13, 2016, SPA -- Polling stations opened in South Korea at 6 am Wednesday (2100 GMT Tuesday), with more than 42 million voters eligible to elect a new parliament, according to dpa. The ruling conservative Saenuri Party is the favourite to come out on top despite a foundering economy, and is even expected to expand its absolute majority in the 300-seat parliament, according to the most recent opinion polls. The parliamentary election, which takes place in a four-year cycle, is seen as an important test of the political atmosphere in Asia's fourth-largest economy ahead of presidential elections at the end of 2017. The party that wins in Wednesday's poll can expect to gain votes for the presidency. South Korea's presidential system permits the head of state to govern even over an opposition majority in parliament. --SPA 01:26 LOCAL TIME 22:26 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w