Seoul, April 2 South Korean Police will enforce the highest-level security alert nationwide on Friday, when the Constitutional Court is set to rule on South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, the nation's top police official said on Wednesday.
Lee Ho-young, acting chief of the Korean National Police Agency, issued the order during an online conference with top police officials, saying the police will remain in an emergency response posture until public order and security are stabilised.
With the highest-level security alert calling for mobilising 100 per cent of the police force, about 14,000 officers from 210 units will be deployed in Seoul alone to prepare for unexpected situations that may arise from large-scale gatherings following the court's ruling.
"It is feared after the court ruling that some of the crowd may stage extreme and violent protests, leading to accidents. Full police powers will be mobilised to prevent serious social conflict," Lee said.
Lee also vowed to thoroughly block off the Constitutional Court and surrounding area and deploy sufficient police forces to key national facilities.
In a related move, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it completed the so-called "vacuum zone" operation toward the Constitutional Court as of 2 p.m. Wednesday by sealing off the area within a 150-metre radius around the court with police buses, Yonhap news agency reported.
The vacuum zone, where all gatherings and demonstrations are prohibited and vehicle traffic is controlled, was initially planned to be 100 metres in diametre but has been greatly expanded, the agency explained, adding a total of 200 vehicles were mobilised for the operation.
Access to the sidewalk within the vacuum zone is permitted only for ordinary citizens, except protesters, though the sidewalk in front of the court's main gate is completely closed to anyone except court officials and reporters.
In preparation for an emergency, special police forces will be on standby within the Constitutional Court premises on sentencing day. Police estimate that about 100,000 supporters and opponents of Yoon are expected to gather in central Seoul on that day.
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