Yoon Suk-yeol's Presidential Impeachment Trial Verdict Date: Constitutional Court Justices Arrive Amid Tight Security
On the morning of the 4th, the day of the verdict for President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial, all eight justices of the Constitutional Court arrived at the court under strict police protection.
The first to arrive was Justice Jeong Hyeong-sik, who entered the Constitutional Court's main gate around 6:54 AM, escorted by two police motorcycles and one vehicle, riding in a black sedan.
Following him, Justice Kim Bok-hyeong arrived in a gray sedan around 7:34 AM, also under the protection of two police motorcycles. Justice Jeong Gye-seon arrived in a black sedan at around 7:43 AM.
Justice Lee Mi-sun, the presiding justice, also entered the main gate in a black sedan around 7:56 AM, escorted by two police motorcycles.
Justice Kim Hyung-doo arrived at 7:58 AM in a gray vehicle, receiving close protection from the police, while Justice Jeong Jeong-mi entered the court around 8:14 AM in a black sedan.
Justice Jo Han-chang appeared shortly after, arriving in a black vehicle around 8:17 AM.
Police Create 'Vacuum State' Around the Constitutional Court, Prepared for Any Situation
Lastly, Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae passed through the main gate around 8:21 AM in a black vehicle. A black minivan marked with police insignia was seen closely escorting his vehicle.
Meanwhile, the main gate of the Constitutional Court was barricaded to allow only one person to pass at a time, with everyone entering and exiting subjected to identity verification.
On the 2nd, the police established a security perimeter with a radius of 150 meters around the Constitutional Court to ensure safety, creating a so-called 'vacuum state.'
Initially, the plan was to set the security perimeter at a radius of 100 meters, but additional space was secured as a precaution.
Supporters of President Yoon and other protesters in front of the Constitutional Court voluntarily evacuated the area by the afternoon of the 2nd.
The police issued a nationwide emergency duty alert, known as 'Eul-ho Emergency,' the day before the verdict and declared 'Gap-ho Emergency' on the day of the verdict, mobilizing 100% of police forces.
About 20,000 members from 338 nationwide mobile forces were deployed, with 14,000 from 210 units concentrated in Seoul.
This impeachment trial was conducted after the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol on February 27, and the Constitutional Court is expected to deliver its final verdict after approximately a month of hearings.
As the outcome of the Constitutional Court's decision will determine President Yoon's political fate, nationwide attention is focused on the event.
Image sources: Justice Kim Bok-hyeong / News1, Justice Jo Han-chang / News1, Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae / News1, Justice Jeong Gye-seon / News1
