The Constitutional Court of South Korea is deliberating whether to unseat President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been suspended from office since being impeached for declaring martial law. Mr. Yoon has refused to step down and is holed up in his fortified compound, bracing for a possible detainment on insurrection charges. The deadlock has left South Korea in a state of political uncertainty.
The court, which has the power to decide Mr. Yoon’s fate, began hearings in his absence as tensions continue to rise around his residence. Investigators have been met with resistance from the president’s security service, leading to fears of a confrontation between his bodyguards and police officials.
Mr. Yoon’s defense team is contesting the legality of the detention warrant and is proposing alternative ways for him to face trial while remaining a free man. However, most South Koreans support his arrest and removal from office.
The presidential security service, led by now resigned chief Park Jong-joon, is showing signs of strain as some officials have been suspended for cooperating with police officers. The police and military have distanced themselves from actions that would hinder Mr. Yoon’s detainment, calling for a peaceful resolution to the standoff.
Leaders in the country are urging for a peaceful resolution to the situation, with the acting president refusing to take sides in the escalating tensions. The court hearings are expected to resume in the coming days, with the fate of President Yoon hanging in the balance.
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