Ahead of verdict on Yoon’s impeachment, Korea’s political tensions hit fever pitch
Since Dec. 3 of last year when President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, South Korea has suffered an extended period of political confrontation and economic uncertainties. Regrettably, the chaotic situation shows no sign of abating amid concerns about deepening fractures within Korean society.
All eyes are now on the Constitutional Court’s imminent verdict on Yoon’s fate, as more than two weeks have passed since the final hearing of his impeachment trial.
A disturbing question for Koreans is whether the Constitutional Court’s final verdict — to either dismiss or reinstate the president — can finally resolve the country’s intensifying partisan rifts and widening social divisions.
The outlook is far from optimistic, given that the streets of Seoul, especially near Gwanghwamun and the Constitutional Court, have become a fierce battleground for mass protests both for and against the impeachment of Yoon.
The continued street rallies are stoking fears of potentially violent clashes when the verdict is finally announced.
Authorities, sensing the rising tensions, are preparing for the worst. Police have announced plans to erect barricades within a 100-meter radius of the Constitutional Court and to shut down nearby gas stations as a precaution against arson. Acting President Choi Sang-mok issued a stark warning early this week, vowing to crack down on any illegal or violent demonstrations with zero tolerance.
That it has come to this sorry state in which the Korean government has to brace for violent protests in the heart of its capital is a sobering reminder that the nation has been stuck at a serious impasse.
What has gone so wrong?
On the face of it, the current political turmoil started when Yoon opted for a misguided declaration of martial law in response to what he alleged to be the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea’s unilateral legislative maneuvers and budget cuts — what Yoon called a “national crisis” that paralyzed state affairs of the country.
The legislative gridlock, which came after the Democratic Party’s landslide victory in the April 2024 general elections, had set the stage for a prolonged standoff involving the Yoon administration, the ruling People Power Party and the Democratic Party, which holds the majority seats of the National Assembly.
Unsurprisingly, the Yoon administration’s initiatives repeatedly ran aground in the opposition-controlled National Assembly, and the Democratic Party countered with the demand for independent investigations into some sensitive political disputes and a host of impeachment motions against government officials in a way that only escalated political clashes further.
What worries policymakers and Korean people now is the escalation of political tensions that are visible on the streets in Seoul and elsewhere over the Constitutional Court's verdict.
Adding fuel to the fire, politicians on both sides have embraced street protests instead of exercising restraint.
Opposition lawmakers have shaved their heads in front of the National Assembly in a dramatic plea for Yoon’s immediate dismissal. Meanwhile, pro-Yoon members of the People Power Party staged around-the-clock one-person vigils outside the Constitutional Court, calling for the court to strike down the impeachment.
Street protests regarding Yoon are now deemed as a sign that both parties seem fixated on rallying their respective political bases, amplifying a sense of confrontation in an irresponsible way.
There is real fear that, once the Constitutional Court’s decision is handed down, Korea could confront a bigger crisis in the form of irreparable social and political division. To help the country to mitigate the impact, the rival parties must pledge — publicly and unequivocally — to accept the court’s judgment, and acrimonious street protests must give way to unity and compromise.
