South Korea's constitutional court has unanimously voted to uphold the impeachment of president Yoon Suk Yeol
There were tears of joy and sadness amongst pro-Yoon and anti-Yoon supporters, who had taken to the streets ahead of the verdict. Police are on standby in case of any violent protests
In his first remarks after the verdict, Yoon says he is "truly sorry" for failing to live up to the people's expectations
His short-lived declaration of martial law last December plunged the country into political turmoil
His powers were first suspended when parliament voted to impeach him on 14 December
Some of those closest to Yoon described the former president as having an explosive personality from a young age, adding that he often "did as he pleased... [and] was stubborn to the core"
Now that Yoon is impeached, a snap election must be held within 60 days
Yoon also faces a separate charge of insurrection which will go on trial at a later date
Watch: South Koreans react as Yoon's impeachment is upheld
David Oh
BBC Korean Service
Lee Mi-young, 59, said she took a half-day off from work to come to this street.
“I’ve been on streets over the past four months, how can I miss this historical day?” she said.
Lee said she firmly believe that the court will uphold Yoon’s impeachment. “I believe the judges will decide with majority, because his wrongdoings are obvious.”
Image source, BBC/Simon AtkinsonOnly police and media are allowed to be outside the Constitutional Court this morning
Regardless of the outcome of Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, police have mobilised "all available resources" to thwart possible violence, Lee Ho-young, the acting chief of the Korean National Police Agency, has said.
He believes some people "may become agitated and engage in extreme or violent protests" on Friday.
More than 14,000 anti-riot police are being deployed in Seoul, where rallies for and against the embattled leader are being held.
Some schools, shops and tourist spots - such as the Gyeongbok and Changdeok palaces - are closed in anticipation of the Constitutional Court's ruling.
Shaimaa Khalil
“Cancel the impeachment," the crowd is chanting at a pro-Yoon rally outside the presidential palace. US and South Korean flags are being sold - both symbols of the pro-Yoon camp.
Several people are sporting Stop the Steal pins - the slogan used by Donald Trump supporters that has been co-opted by pro-Yoon conservatives.
“We came from Daegu city because we oppose the impeachment and we’re here to support Yoon," Baek Hasoon, 73, told the BBC. He and his friends are dressed in skirts with the Korean flag.
"It would be unimaginable if he’s impeached. What he did in December awakened the nation to all our problems," Baek said.
His friend, 73-year-old Park Soonjeo told us: “If he is impeached we’ll continue to rally for him."
"But it won’t happen," Park added, as the friends laughed.
As the national anthem was played at the scene, many of them closed their eyes, looking sombre.
Meanwhile, police in the riot gear continue to arrive and are surrounding the crowd.
Image source, Yuna Ku/BBCPro-Yoon protesters gathering at the presidential residence
In front of the presidential palace, pro-Yoon rallies are taking place on the upper section of the street near the palace, while anti-presidential rallies are held on the lower section of the same street.
Security is tight and the police is guarding at each point. We had to present our journalist identification four times at different checkpoints to move from one rally to another.
It seems that ordinary pedestrians cannot pass through.
Katy Watson
Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBCThere’s a really upbeat atmosphere among anti-Yoon supporters here - people are dancing and singing while they wait for the announcement.
Some people are on large mats, shoes off and relaxing in front of the big screen set up to broadcast the verdict. Others are sitting on little stools for a bit more comfort.
It’s getting packed now and the sun is out. People are shading themselves with placards, saying ‘immediate removal of Yoon’ as they wait.
Yuna Ku
BBC Korean Service
Lee Jangyun, 58, has participated in multiple pro-Yoon protests ever since the president’s declaration of martial law. Now, he’s awaiting for the final verdict with other protesters gathered around the presidential residence.
“The court will dismiss the impeachment case. There’s no other option. I won’t accept it.”
“I’m against the impeachment because I’m worried that Lee Jae-myung [the opposition party leader] might step in.”
“I think there are too many leftists in the country.”
Also at the rally is Kim Dong-hyeon, a 30-year-old IT developer.
“Several years ago, I participated in a rally in support of President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment. However, I didn’t know much at that time.”
“After President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, I looked into the reason and eventually acknowledged that the opposition party has been disrupting the government. So yes, President Yoon’s speech [after the martial law] influenced me a lot.”
“I’m worried that if the court upholds the impeachment, both the executive and legislative branch would be controlled by the opposition party and therefore undermine the separation of powers.”
Yoon himself will not attend the ruling on the impeachment, his legal team announced on Thursday, due to concerns about his security and the need to maintain order.
Police have warned that there could be violence in the South Korean capital, Seoul, where protests for and against Yoon are being held.
Instead, he will be watching the verdict from his residence, local media reports.
Simon Atkinson
Reporting from Seoul
Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBCThe area around the constitutional court is a fortress.
Nobody apart from a few people from the media can get near the area thanks to a wall of hundreds of police buses in the surrounding streets.
And in a sign of the potential for unrest, we're seeing row after row of black bags packed with police riot gear on every street corner. We’ve seen a few officers already fully kitted out.
Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBCKaty Watson
Image source, Katy Watson/BBCHyeon Ji Kim, 25, has been camping on the streets of Seoul since 11pm last night. She spent the night with other supporters of impeachment near Anguk station.
“I’m here because I want to be with everyone for this historical announcement,” she said.
She says she’s pro-impeachment because she wants to stand up for democracy, and wants to show hope for the younger generations here in South Korea.
Image source, Katy Watson/BBCMeanwhile, performance artist Aejeong Ha is singing at the pro-impeachment gathering, waving a flag.
“President Yoon should be removed,” the 61-year-old chants with her friends. They want all eight Constitutional Court judges to vote in favour of impeachment.
“I want to stand up for my country so the same thing doesn’t happen again - this shouldn’t be allowed,” she said, adding that young people need to be safe and able to live in a democracy.
“I can no longer stand by to watch the president abuse his powers.”
Today's ruling, while broadcast live across the country, has also been opened to the public.
Twenty seats at the constitutional court were raffled off. More than 90,000 people applied for a chance to be included in the draw, according to local media.
During the last ruling on a president's impeachment in March 2017, more than 19,000 people applied for 24 seats that were open to the general public.
We are in the final hour before hearing the verdict. The BBC's Yuna Ku describes the scene in front of Yoon's residence:
Watch: The BBC is in Seoul as South Korea braces for Yoon impeachment ruling
It's a historic day for South Koreans, and many early birds have been preparing since last night. Some protesters have been camping at various locations, bringing sleeping bags and space blankets with them.
Image source, Getty ImagesPeople protesting against Yoon have been gathering near the entrance of the Constitutional Court this morning
Image source, Getty ImagesAn anti-Yoon protester sleeping before his day begins
Image source, Getty ImagesSome have been sleeping overnight out in the open
Some of Yoon's supporters have been gathering outside his residence
Image source, Getty ImagesOn 3 December 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, taking South Korea and the rest of the world by surprise.
He claimed that he was introducing martial rule to save the country from North Korean sympathisers. But it was widely seen as a manoeuvre to deal with his political enemies, as he has been increasingly hamstrung by a strong opposition in parliament.
Since then, Yoon has been impeached by lawmakers and charged with insurrection. The opposition also used its parliamentary majority to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo.
Yoon was arrested in January, and released in March after his detention was overturned on technical grounds.
South Korea has been steeped in political turmoil for months now, and its people have become even more divided.
The hope is that today's court ruling, which decides whether Yoon's impeachment will be upheld, will bring some closure to the crisis.
Katy Watson
Image source, BBC/Katy WatsonOutside the Constitutional Court there are police buses lined up tightly, functioning as barriers to stop any protestors coming close.
There’s a sea of plastic floral tributes that appear to be from pro-Yoon supporters, cordoned off and piled up high in front of the court, along the hedge.
One reads "President Yoon did not commit insurrection". Another says "I firmly oppose the impeachment".
They’ve been pushed aside to make way for the police security, but are a pointed message by his supporters on a day full of tension.
Jean Mackenzie
Seoul correspondent
This case has been heard by eight judges. For Yoon’s impeachment be upheld, at least six of them must agree to this. If three or more dismiss the impeachment, he would be allowed to return to office.
For a while, it was almost taken for granted that Yoon would be impeached. This was seen as a relatively straightforward case that would be decided quickly.
Legal minds argued he did not have the right to declare martial law and he did not follow the correct process when doing so. According to South Korea’s constitution, martial law should only be used during wartime or a similar emergency, the government must be consulted, and parliament must have a say.
But the verdict has taken far longer than expected, leaving experts to wonder whether the judges might have been more conflicted than first assumed.
So, on what grounds might the judges dismiss the impeachment? Some legal scholars think they could take issue with the way the trial has been conducted, or decide that Yoon’s procedural missteps were not serious enough to justify barring him from office.
One of the most contentious issues they have been considering is whether he ordered the army to remove lawmakers from parliament on the night of martial law, to prevent them voting down the order.
The impeachment of a president is not uncharted territory for South Korea, which last removed a president through this process in 2016. Ironically, Yoon, then a prosecutor, had led the probe against the former leader Park Geun-hye, which later resulted in her being impeached.
First, an impeachment bill has to be tabled by a majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly, which in Yoon's case was led by the Democratic Party.
Then, at least two-thirds of the 300-member assembly has to vote in favour of the motion. On 14 December, 204 MPs voted in favour of Yoon's impeachment, leading to his suspension.
Then a trial commenced before the Constitutional Court - we're waiting for its verdict today.
If Yoon is impeached, a poll must be held within 60 days to elect the country's next leader.
David Oh
BBC Korean Service
Image source, Getty ImagesIt’s past 09:00, and the crowds are already growing outside the presidential residence ahead of the Constitutional Court’s impeachment ruling on President Yoon.
Many of them are pro-Yoon supporters. Some are taking selfies in front of Yoon's posters and some are chanting: "Impeachment invalid".
More people are expected to join as the decision approaches.
It's a tense day in South Korea as the country waits for a verdict that will determine whether its president, Yoon Suk Yeol, will be finally impeached and removed from office.
Yoon caused political chaos in December when he declared martial law, which was later overturned and led to parliament voting to impeach him.
Now, it's up to the Constitutional Court to decide whether to dismiss or reinstate the suspended president.
Pro-Yoon protesters have already gathered outside the court, calling for him to be reinstated, while his opponents are calling for his immediate dismissal.
He is South Korea's first president to be arrested while in office, and his dismissal or reinstatement will have long-lasting effects on the country's political future.
Stay with us as we bring you the latest.
