Demonstrations both for and against South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol have taken place in the capital Seoul in anticipation of a court ruling on his potential disqualification from office.

On Saturday, large crowds of anti-Yoon protesters occupied a central square in Seoul, demanding his immediate removal. Meanwhile, conservative supporters of Yoon occupied a nearby avenue, calling for his reinstatement, and waving South Korean and United States flags.

A few days from now, the Constitutional Court will likely announce its decision on whether President Yoon should be ousted for his attempt to impose martial law last December, which caused significant market instability and sparked the country’s gravest political crisis yet.

If the court rules against Yoon, he will be dismissed from office, and a national election for his successor will be conducted within two months.

Additionally, Yoon is currently on trial for the criminal charge of insurrection and was released from detention last week.

Deepening Social Rifts

The former president’s declaration of martial law and the resulting controversy have deepened the social divisions between conservatives and liberals, also putting pressure on institutions and the military regarding the enforcement of such an order.

Consequently, protests for and against Yoon have become a weekly occurrence, drawing hundreds of thousands to the streets.

A recent Gallup Korea poll revealed that 58 percent of respondents support Yoon’s impeachment, while 37 percent are opposed.

Song Young-sun, a 48-year-old protester, expressed her frustration over Yoon’s release from jail last week, stating that she hopes the Constitutional Court will address the impeachment case effectively next week.

On the other hand, Kim Hyung-joon, a 70-year-old pro-Yoon protester, expressed his hope that the court will make a “precise judgement and dismiss the case”.

The court’s primary challenge is to determine why Yoon dispatched hundreds of soldiers and police officers to the National Assembly after declaring martial law. While Yoon maintains that his intention was to maintain public order, certain military and police officials have suggested that the president ordered them to remove politicians or detain his political adversaries to prevent a vote about his decree.