On Apr. 2, police authorities announced plans to deploy 34 senior officers ranked superintendent or higher and 210 riot police units—totaling approximately 12,600 officers—across central Seoul on Apr. 4, when the Constitutional Court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. The deployment will span key areas including the vicinity of the Constitutional Court, the National Assembly in Yeouido, the presidential office in Yongsan-gu, and Seocho-gu, home to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. The large-scale mobilization reflects concerns over possible unrest. In March 2017, when the Constitutional Court ruled on the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, violent clashes between police and protesters resulted in four deaths. This time, authorities say they aim to prevent casualties by preemptively tracking protester movements.
According to The Chosunilbo, the police intend to set up barricades within a 150-meter radius of the Constitutional Court on Apr. 4. They will deploy 13 senior officers—including the heads of the Seoul Metropolitan Police’s Mobile Unit, as well as the Jongno, Jungbu, and Hyehwa police stations—along with 88 riot squads, comprising about 5,280 officers. “The idea is to create a ‘vacuum zone’ that no one, not even lawmakers, can access,” a police official said.
In preparation for large-scale rallies both in favor of and against impeachment, the police will dispatch precinct chiefs from eight districts to protest sites in Jongno and Jung-gu. Authorities anticipate that demonstrators could march from the Constitutional Court to other politically symbolic locations such as the presidential office in Yongsan, party headquarters and the National Assembly in Yeouido, and Seocho-dong, where the Supreme Court and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office are located.
To respond to these movements, 30 mobile riot units will be stationed in downtown Gwanghwamun, where demonstrations are expected to begin. These units will operate flexibly, relocating based on how events unfold. In Yeouido, where both the National Assembly and ruling and opposition party offices are located, police will assign three senior officers and 20 riot squads. Authorities also plan to deploy 24 units to five strategic points near the presidential residence in Hannam-dong and the War Memorial of Korea in Samgakji, in anticipation of potential marches in those areas.
Police have also developed contingency plans for spontaneous demonstrations or flash mobs near high-security sites such as the U.S. Embassy. Should the impeachment be dismissed, authorities believe pro-impeachment protesters may attempt to storm the Constitutional Court, the prime minister’s residence in Samcheong-dong, or foreign embassies in Gwanghwamun. As a preventive measure, 13 riot units will be deployed to embassies of key nations including the United States, Japan, China, and Russia.
Additional training has been conducted in preparation for attempts to dismantle police barricades. Drills have simulated scenarios in which protesters use wires or ropes to drag police buses or crawl beneath them. Around 70 personnel have been designated as video documentation officers to record any unlawful acts during clashes, and riot police have undergone further training for potential confrontations. During the Mar. 10, 2017, ruling on Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, four people died in confrontations with police.
In coordination with police requests, rooftop access to 18 high-rise buildings near the Constitutional Court will be restricted on the day of the ruling. Authorities have also requested the temporary closure of nearby construction sites and gas stations. To prevent drone surveillance or unauthorized aerial filming, the area has been designated a no-fly zone. The Capital Defense Command has been asked to immediately notify the police if drones are detected.
