South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which is reviewing President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, will announce its decision on whether to remove him from office permanently or reinstate him on April 4, the court said in a statement on Tuesday.
The court said the ruling will be delivered at 11 a.m. (0200 GMT) and live broadcast of the session will be permitted.
Yoon was impeached by parliament on December 14 after being accused of violating his constitutional duty by declaring martial law in early December with no justifiable grounds.
The suspended leader has said he never intended to fully impose military rule but instead meant to sound the alarm over the opposition Democratic Party’s abuse of its parliamentary majority that he argued was threatening to destroy the country.
In his final statement before the court ended arguments on February 25, Yoon also said his decision to declare martial law was an appeal to the people to overcome “anti-state forces”, pro-North Korea sympathisers, and opposition gridlock.
The won reversed earlier losses to turn higher against the dollar after the announcement of the ruling date. The stock market’s benchmark was up 1.5% after the announcement of the ruling, after pairing earlier gains to 0.5%.
The court, which currently has eight justices with one seat vacant, can decide to oust Yoon only when 6 or more judges agree, according to South Korea’s constitution.
The wait of more than a month for the time of the ruling has fuelled a bitter clash between the ruling party, with many of its members calling for Yoon’s reinstatement, and the opposition, which has said his return would deal a serious blow to the country’s constitutional order.
The looming decision has also deepened division among the public, with large crowds packing downtown streets in rallies for and against Yoon’s removal, with rhetoric becoming increasingly heated. Police are bracing for potential violence once the ruling is announced.
The People Power Party’s floor leader, Kweon Seong-dong, welcomed the announcement and said the ruling party will accept the court’s decision but warned “social conflict will become stronger whatever the decision is”.
The Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said he was confident the court will rule unanimously against Yoon.
The majority of the public backs Yoon’s removal, according to opinion polls, although support has ebbed since the initial days after the martial law declaration last December.
A Gallup Korea poll released on Friday showed 60% of the respondents saying Yoon should be ousted.
NEW ELECTION WITHIN 60 DAYS IF YOON OUSTED
Parliamentary lawyers seeking his removal compared Yoon to a dictator during their final arguments at his impeachment trial.
Yoon, a former prosecutor who has seen his popularity dive, could face removal from office less than three years into his five-year presidency if his impeachment is upheld, marking a tumultuous end to a tenure marred by political turmoil.
If Yoon is removed, a new presidential election must be held within 60 days.
Yoon is also on a separate criminal trial on charges of leading an insurrection by declaring martial law and faces the death penalty or life in prison if convicted although South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997.
His shock martial law announcement, which banned political and parliamentary activity, triggered a constitutional crisis that also led to the impeachment of the prime minister who became acting president.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was reinstated on March 24 by the Constitutional Court and resumed his role as acting president.
In an impeachment trial in 2017, eight justices of the court at the time unanimously backed a decision to oust the then President Park Geun-hye for violating her constitutional duty.
–Reuters