As the Constitutional Court announced it would deliver the ruling on President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial at 11 a.m. on the 4th, supporters of President Yoon took to the streets in front of the court. In response, participants in pro-impeachment rallies also called for the president's removal. The police began to speed up their efforts to create a so-called 'vacuum state' by preventing the general public from approaching the court area.
◇A barrier and barricade were installed near Anguk Station, which were not present until yesterday
According to the police on the 1st, about 600 people gathered around 1:30 p.m. in front of Exit 5 of Anguk Station on Line 3 of the Seoul Subway for a rally against impeachment organized by the Free Unity Party. The Free Unity Party holds rallies at this location every day, and barriers and barricades that were not present the previous day were installed at three surrounding sidewalks. Although the police did not restrict the movement of rally participants around the court's main entrance, the passageways have become narrower. Additional barriers were installed in various places near the court.
Rally participants waved the national flag and the American flag while holding signs that read 'Reject the 4-to-4 impeachment,' 'The people resist,' 'Arrest Lee Jae-myung immediately,' 'Dissolve the Democratic Party,' and 'Dissolve the National Assembly.' They chanted slogans including 'Invalidation of impeachment,' 'Arrest Lee Jae-myung,' and 'Dissolve the Democratic Party.'
Around 2 p.m., about 30 supporters of President Yoon were chanting 'Oppose impeachment' next to the court's main entrance. About 10 of them were participating in a hunger strike. Attorney Seok Dong-hyun, the Director General of the 'Citizens' Defense Team for President Yoon,' appeared to encourage them. Na Kyung-won, a member of the National Assembly, also joined them in solidarity.
Pro-impeachment rallies were also taking place nearby at the same time. In front of Exit 1 of Anguk Station, more than 40 people shouted for 'Impeach Yoon Suk-yeol.' They held signs saying 'Appoint Ma Eun-hyeok' and 'Dissolve the People Power Party for conspiracy to insurrection.'
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Korean Trade Union Confederation will also join the rally calling for President Yoon's removal. The two major labor organizations announced a '24-hour overnight action' at around 6 p.m. in the area of the Dongsipjag of Gyeongbokgung Palace, and they plan to initiate an overnight sit-in protest from 9 p.m. on the 2nd for two days and one night near Anguk Station. The Korean Trade Union Confederation intends to conduct further overnight sit-ins starting from the afternoon of the 3rd until the ruling day on the 4th.
◇The group supporting Yoon chose to voluntarily dismantle their tent during the sit-in in front of the court
The police began efforts to control access for the general public in the vicinity of the court as the date for the impeachment trial ruling was confirmed. It was reported that they communicated around 1 p.m. to the Citizens' Defense Team, which was conducting a tent sit-in in front of the court, that rallies would be prohibited within 100 meters of the court’s boundary, in accordance with the 'Act on Assemblies and Demonstrations.' Initially, they planned to begin this a day or two before the ruling day, but they have moved it ahead. The Citizens' Defense Team plans to gradually dismantle the tents voluntarily.
The police also began controlling vehicle traffic from 1 p.m. on Bukchon-ro heading towards the court from Anguk Station. Since noon, they closed four out of six exits closest to the court at Anguk Station. This was done to ensure safety, as an increase in rally participants and intensification of protests could lead to accidents, starting safety measures three days prior to the ruling day. On the day of the ruling, trains on Line 3 of the subway will not stop at Anguk Station from the first train in the morning.
The police have also strengthened perimeter security around schools. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has deployed three teams (22 members) of school liaison police officers from Jongno Police Station at Jeidong Elementary, Unhyeon Elementary, Gyo-dong Elementary, and Kyungwoon School near the court since the 25th of last month and is intensifying patrols during school commute times. Eleven kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools located within one kilometer of the court will have discretionary closures on the ruling day. Students will not attend, but staff will report to work.
The police plan to deploy all available forces, issuing the highest level of emergency status, 'Level A Emergency,' on the 4th. They will mobilize over 20,000 personnel from 338 riot police units nationwide to minimize clashes around the court. The fire authorities will also be on standby with 190 emergency personnel and 32 ambulances near the court, and there will be field clinics operating in four locations: near Anguk Station, Gwanghwamun, Hannam-dong, and Yeouido.