Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Police to boost security on day of presidential impeachment ruling
Police block Exit 3 of Anguk Station on Seoul Metro Line 3 on Tuesday, ahead of the Constitutional Court's ruling Friday on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment for his martial law declaration. Trains will not stop at the station on the day of the ruling. Yonhap
By Lee Hae-rin
Police will ramp up security measures and deploy some 14,000 personnel on emergency standby in Seoul to prevent civil unrest on Friday when the Constitutional Court is poised to deliver its long-awaited verdict on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment over his Dec. 3 martial law declaration.
The number represents 60 percent of all available riot police forces to be mobilized nationwide under the police's highest-level security alert, known as "gapho."
The alert is typically issued during massive protests involving violence or terrorist attacks or when such incidents are deemed highly likely. Under this alert, all police officers are prohibited from taking leave and must remain on standby for mobilization.
Police will designate a 100-meter radius around the Constitutional Court in central Seoul as a no-go zone and will immediately arrest anyone attempting to breach the court's compound. Security for all Constitutional Court justices will also be heightened.
The Anguk-dong area surrounding the court has been designated a no-fly zone since last month, and police will deploy anti-drone equipment there to control illegal drone activity.
Schools, a gas station, construction sites near the court and Anguk Station on Seoul Metro Line 3 are expected to cease operations on Friday. Access to rooftop entrances of 22 nearby buildings will also be restricted.
Trains may run nonstop and skip stations around the Gwanghwamun area and the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, where rallies for and against Yoon’s impeachment are expected. Affected stations include Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung, Jongno 3-ga, Jonggak, City Hall and Hangangjin stations.
According to Yoon’s legal representatives, it has not yet been decided whether he will appear in court on Friday.
If Yoon decides to appear in court, police will take measures to secure the route from the presidential residence to the Constitutional Court and separate protesters advocating for and against Yoon’s impeachment along the way.
The Constitutional Court said it will deliver its verdict on Friday on whether to remove Yoon from office. The decision comes after more than 100 days of political turmoil and deepening polarization between Yoon’s supporters and critics across the country.
Previously, when Park Geun-hye's impeachment was confirmed on March 10, 2017, a protest by her supporters resulted in four deaths. The deaths were attributed to pushing by the crowd, heart problems and a falling speaker.