President Yoon's impeachment verdict to be delivered live Friday 11 AM: Constitutional Court

The Constitutional Court has finally announced a date for its much-awaited verdict on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment.

Our correspondent Oh Soo-young covers this latest event.

President Yoon Suk Yeol will face his fate on Friday, as the Constitutional Court's decision on his impeachment is revealed via a live broadcast.

The Court notified the press on Tuesday that the eight-member bench will deliver its ruling at 11 AM on April 4th.

The verdict will come 111 days after the National Assembly voted to impeach President Yoon, following his declaration of martial law on December 3rd last year.

His case has marked the Court's longest-ever deliberation on a presidential case, compared to Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye's, which took at most two weeks.

The prolonged timeline has sparked speculation about what is happening behind closed doors, with legal analysts divided over what the verdict could be.

Removing a president requires at least six justices to uphold the National Assembly's impeachment.

If three or more dissent, President Yoon returns to power.

Some believe the justices have been working towards a unanimous decision, with foolproof reasoning to minimize societal backlash.

Others suggest the court has been struggling to reach a consensus, as justices may be split ideologically.

A recent impeachment case involving Korea Communications Commission Chair Lee Jin-sook ended in a four-to-four deadlock, in line with the justices' political orientations.

According to legal circles, the bench expected to reach their final decision either the evening before or on the morning of the ruling day, to maintain utmost confidentiality.

If the decision is unanimous, the presiding justice typically reads a summary of the reasoning first, followed by their final written judgment.

The ruling will inevitably have major political consequences, as an impeachment would trigger an early presidential election within 60 days.

If Yoon is removed from office, the opposition's Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is seen as the frontrunner for a snap election, far ahead of the conservative candidates.

Thus, conservatives and Yoon's supporters continue to push for his impeachment to be dismissed or for the case itself to be scrapped.

In the meantime, a presidential official told reporters that Yoon's office is "calmly awaiting" the Court's decision.

As the Constitutional Court prepares to deliver a historic ruling, it faces the formidable challenge of issuing a decision that can command legitimacy in a nation deeply divided along political lines.

Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.