Constitutional Court set to rule on Korean President Yoon's impeachment today

Almost four months after the night that President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed martial law, Koreans will learn today if he will be ousted or remain in office.

The Constitutional Court in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 3. [YONHAP]

Almost four months after the night that President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed martial law, Koreans will learn today if he will be ousted or remain in office.

The Constitutional Court is due to announce its ultimate decision on Yoon’s fate a little after 11 a.m., when the reading of the verdict begins.

The ruling comes 111 days after the National Assembly, which is controlled by the liberal Democratic Party (DP), voted to impeach Yoon for declaring of martial law on Dec. 3 last year.

The court can rule to uphold, overturn or reject the National Assembly impeachment motion against Yoon, which accuses him of illegally declaring martial law on Dec. 3, attempting to unlawfully suspend all political activities, sending special forces to prevent lawmakers from overturning his decree, deploying troops to the National Election Commission and ordering the arrest of high-ranking politicians and judges.

If at least six justices find that at least one of these five charges applies to Yoon — and determine it constitutes a grave violation of the Constitution — he would be stripped of his place

An election to choose his successor would also take place within 60 days, or June 3 at the latest.

Currently, DP leader Lee Jae-myung is the favorite in the polls to win such a race.

However, if five or fewer justices vote in favor of his impeachment, Yoon would be reinstated.

It is unclear if he would be able to serve effectively as president in that scenario, as the DP retains control of the National Assembly and almost 57 percent of Koreans want to see him gone, according to the latest survey from Gallup Korea.

The court’s ruling cannot be appealed.

Given its constitutional and political significance, the reading of the verdict will be broadcast live.

As such, the duelling rallies in downtown Seoul that are due to begin before the ruling will also serve as highly tense watch parties for the thousands of people who have descended upon the capital.

Some of the protests will likely turn into celebrations; others, however, could morph into riots.

In anticipation of the potentially explosive reaction to the verdict from some protesters, police have implemented unprecedented security measures, including blocking off all roads leading to the court.

Trains on line 3 of the Seoul Metro will bypass Anguk Station, while all schools and most offices in the area are closed for the day.

Beginning at 9 a.m., trains on line 6 will also bypass Hangangjin Station, which is located near Yoon’s official residence in the Hannam-dong area of Yongsan District, central Seoul.

Yoon’s supporters have gathered at the president’s residence on several occasions, such as his March 8 release from jail, to demonstrate their dedication to him.

Earlier in the week, acting President Han Duck-soo warned that the government will show “zero tolerance” to those who resort to violence to express their dissatisfaction with the impeachment verdict.

One person, however, will notably be absent from the Constitutional Court as the verdict is read.

Yoon himself will not attend today’s ruling due to “concerns over public safety and his own personal security,” according to the presidential office on Thursday.

In previous televised Constitutional Court rulings, the presiding judge announced the court’s decision at the end of the verdict after reviewing all of the justices’ findings.

As such, there is a high probability that Yoon’s dismissal — or reinstatement — will only be known after the justices’ conclusions on each of the five impeachment charges have been read aloud.

The court’s decision takes effect at the exact moment it is pronounced.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]