SEOUL — South Korea's Constitutional Court will announce its decision on Friday, April 4, on whether to remove or reinstate President Yoon Suk-yeol, following his controversial martial law declaration that threw the country into political turmoil. Yoon’s future has remained uncertain for over five weeks as the court deliberated privately, defying expectations of a prompt verdict. The outcome—whether he violated the Constitution or not—will be delivered in a live televised session at 11am (10am in Singapore).

Although Yoon is not expected to attend the session, a ruling to remove him would trigger a presidential election within 60 days. If reinstated, he will face the tough task of managing economic tensions, especially following strict U.S. tariffs from South Korea’s key security partner. This decision comes after months of political instability, further complicated by the leadership shift in the United States under President Trump and slowing domestic growth. Yoon, aged 64, is also facing a criminal trial for insurrection. He made history as the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested on January 15. However, he was released in March when a court invalidated his arrest due to concerns over the investigation's legal procedures.

The crisis began on December 3 when Yoon declared martial law, claiming it was necessary to eliminate "anti-state" forces and address the opposition Democratic Party's alleged misuse of its parliamentary power. He revoked the order six hours later after lawmakers resisted military efforts to block parliamentary access and voted against the decree. Yoon has since insisted he had no intention of fully enforcing military rule and highlighted that no harm was done.

During the Constitutional Court proceedings, parliamentary legal counsel compared Yoon’s actions to those of a dictator. With one seat vacant, the court currently has eight judges; at least six must agree to remove Yoon. The long wait has intensified political tensions, with the ruling party largely supporting Yoon’s return and the opposition warning that his reinstatement would harm South Korea’s democratic principles. Public opinion remains deeply divided, as mass protests have filled the streets of Seoul both in support of and against Yoon.

Security forces are preparing for potential unrest, deploying over 14,000 officers in the capital. Experts believe that regardless of the ruling, tensions are unlikely to subside. They also question whether Yoon, already weakened by scandals and political battles, could effectively govern for the remainder of his term if restored. Polls suggest most citizens favor his removal. A recent Gallup Korea survey found that 60% of respondents believe Yoon should be ousted, though support has waned somewhat since the immediate aftermath of the martial law declaration.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.