The South Korean Constitutional Court will announce on April 4th whether the suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol will return to office or not. Extraordinary security measures will be implemented in the country on the day the decision is revealed.

The South Korean Constitutional Court has announced that it will decide on April 4th whether Yoon Suk Yeol, who was temporarily suspended from the presidency after the declaration of martial law, will return to his duties. According to Yonhap, the announcement stated that public participation and live broadcasts would be allowed when the decision is announced. The statement mentioned that the decision on Yoon’s return to office will be shared with the public around 11:00 a.m. local time on April 4th. Additionally, the South Korean National Police Agency announced that police forces across the country are being elevated to the highest level of emergency, known as “Gapho,” for Yoon’s impeachment trial. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency also revealed that roads near the Constitutional Court in the capital will be closed, with 810 staff members assigned for traffic control. The National Police Agency had previously decided to deploy 14,000 riot police officers in Seoul on March 19th to manage any incidents that may arise on the day of the impeachment trial.

SOME PALACES WILL BE CLOSED ON DECISION DAY The South Korean Cultural Heritage Administration announced that on April 4th, the day when the decision regarding Yoon will be made, Gyeongbok, Changdeok, and Deoksu palaces will be closed in order to “protect cultural heritage and prevent visitor accidents.” The guard-changing ceremony and tours planned for Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul on April 4th have also been canceled. Furthermore, some other cultural sites in the city, including the Seoul Museum of Handicrafts and Unhyeon Royal Residence, will remain closed throughout the day. If Yoon is impeached, South Korea is legally required to hold a presidential election within 60 days. On the other hand, if the impeachment request is rejected, Yoon will continue in office until 2027.

PRESIDENT’S JUDICIAL PROCESS South Korea’s National Assembly requested Yoon’s impeachment on the grounds that the declaration of martial law was unconstitutional, leading to his removal from office. Yoon was taken into custody on January 15th as part of the martial law investigation. As the first president in South Korean history to be arrested, Yoon was transferred to a detention center after over 10 hours of questioning. On January 19th, he was arrested by the Seoul Western District Court on charges of “leading an uprising” and “abusing power,” and released from the Seoul Detention Center on March 8th based on the Seoul Central District Court’s decision. While the court allowed Yoon to be tried without physical detention, the impeachment process and criminal trials against him are ongoing.