Court rumored to be wrapping up ruling on Pres. Yoon's impeachment

President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment case has continued for more than three months, as justices take a record amount of time to deliberate on the embattled leader's fate.

But pundits believe the Court is in the last phase of reviewing the case.

Oh Soo-young reports.

The Constitutional Court could issue a ruling in President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial this week, as deliberations are believed to have reached the final stage.

According to legal experts familiar with the matter, the eight-member bench is now wrapping up its review of key grounds for Yoon's impeachment, after more than a month of almost-daily meetings the longest the Court has ever deliberated on a presidential case.

Once each justice expresses their opinion, they're expected to draw up their collective decision, before announcing the ruling date two to three days in advance.

While it could be as early as this Thursday, if the bench schedules a Friday ruling in line with past presidential impeachments, April 4th and 11th are key dates to watch.

But given the record deliberation period, observers say the verdict could take longer to be issued, as the justices may be sharply split in their opinions on whether or not President Yoon's martial law declaration warrants an impeachment.

The Court needs at least six votes to remove a President.

If three or more justices are against impeachment Yoon would be restored to office.

At this point, April 18th is broadly considered the deadline for the bench the date Justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-son retire.

In 2017, the Court dismissed President Park Geun-hye on a Friday, before Acting Chief Justice Lee Jung-mi stepped down the next Monday.

But this time around, the two vacancies would leave only six justices on the bench, below the seven-member threshold required to deliver a ruling.

Meanwhile, political tensions are escalating, following the recent acquittal of opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung in one of his five criminal trials.

As Lee currently leads polls for presidential hopefuls, the ruling People Power Party fears an early election could benefit the opposition leader, and is pushing the Court to dismiss or reject Yoon's impeachment.

On the other side, the DP is hardening its stance.

Some lawmakers call for another motion to impeach Acting President Han Duck-soo, despite the Constitutional Court's dismissal of their previous attempt, along with Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok.

Other DP members are demanding the urgent appointment of a left-leaning judge, Ma Eun-hyeok, to secure a six-vote majority to impeach the President.

As for public opinion, support for the two major parties are split evenly at 36 percent,

with moderates caught between both political extremes: Yoon's immediate return or the opposition party's continued offensives against the incumbent government.

Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.