Seoul: Police have decided to deploy approximately 14,000 personnel in Seoul as the Constitutional Court is poised to deliver its ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment case later this week.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the court is set to announce its verdict on Friday, deciding whether to dismiss or reinstate Yoon following his failed martial law attempt. This decision comes amid heightened political tensions between supporters and opponents of Yoon's impeachment.
The National Police Agency has escalated the alert status to "Gapho," the highest level, placing all available police forces on emergency standby starting from midnight on Thursday. Additionally, police have been instructed to arrest anyone attempting to breach the Constitutional Court compound and to enhance security for all Constitutional Court justices.
In anticipation of Yoon's potential attendance at the court for the verdict, police are preparing to secure the route from the presidential residence to the Constitutional Court. They also plan to manage protests by separating demonstrators advocating for and against Yoon's impeachment.
Yoon's legal team has yet to decide whether he will attend the court proceedings on Friday. Meanwhile, anti-Yoon protesters near Gwanghwamun Square, who have been holding an overnight sit-in, welcomed the court's announcement and demanded the "immediate ouster" of the suspended president.
Yoon Bok-nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, expressed relief at the announcement, despite believing the decision came later than desired. Conversely, pro-Yoon demonstrators near the Constitutional Court have been vocal, urging the court to "dismiss impeachment" while brandishing Korean and American flags.
Following the court's announcement, police have already mobilized around 3,200 personnel near the Constitutional Court. Authorities plan to create a "vacuum state" around the court by restricting public access, leading pro-Yoon groups to dismantle their tents near the area.