Seoul on high alert as public safety measure start ahead of impeachment ruling

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Seoul on high alert as public safety measure start ahead of impeachment ruling

Published: 02 Apr. 2025, 16:53 Updated: 02 Apr. 2025, 18:35

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Police guard the closed exit of Anguk Station in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 2, two days before the Constitutional Court's ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment.[YONHAP]

Seoul is on high alert as tens of thousands of protesters are set to hold rivaling rallies on Friday, the day the Constitutional Court rules on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Wednesday, some 14,000 police officers will be deployed on Friday. Some 100,000 protesters are set to gather near the Constitutional Court in downtown Seoul.

From Thursday to Saturday, up to 2,400 personnel will be stationed daily in key areas of central and western Seoul — including Anguk Station and Yeouido Station — for safety management, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday.

Four exits at Anguk Station in Jongno District, the nearest subway station to the Constitutional Court, were closed starting Tuesday noon. On the day of the ruling, all exits will be closed and trains will bypass the station.

Protesters both supporting and opposing Yoon's impeachment have been holding rallies near the station since Tuesday.

Five liberal parties, along with a civic group, announced on Wednesday that they would submit a petition with one million signatures from citizens calling for Yoon's impeachment to the Constitutional Court.

During a rally opposing Yoon's impeachment in the area the same day, People Power Party Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun said his party would submit 479,617 petitions against the impeachment to the Constitutional Court.

The heightened safety measures come as four supporters of former President Park Geun-hye died in protests after the Constitutional Court upheld her impeachment in March 2017.

Restricted areas near Constitutional Court in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 4 [LEE JEONG-MIN]

At 24 subway platforms, including Jonggak Station, City Hall Station and Yeouido Station, a total of 415 personnel will be deployed to monitor safety.

Additional subway trains will be put into service if necessary, and depending on the situation, some trains may skip certain stations.

City buses will reroute or bypass stops near major rally sites, including Gwanghwamun Intersection, Sejong-daero, Anguk Station and Hannam-dong in downtown Seoul, as well as Yeoui-daero in western Seoul.

The city government will provide updates on subway station closures through its Seoul Visit website and social media channels in multiple languages. It has also informed around 500 tour companies and hotels about planned rallies related to Yoon’s impeachment ruling.

Due to safety concerns, the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival set to begin on Friday, has been postponed to Tuesday.

Monks calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment perform full bows during a rally near Anguk Station in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 2. [YONHAP]

Portable restrooms will be installed at major rally sites, with information about their locations — as well as public restroom locations — available through the city’s Smart Seoul Map and mapping services on Naver and Kakao.

For safety reasons, public bicycles such as Ttareungi, personal mobility devices and trash cans will be temporarily removed from rally sites by Wednesday. Access to 71 Ttareungi racks will be suspended for three days, from Thursday to Saturday. Additionally, the Seoul Museum of Craft Art and Unhyeon Palace in downtown Seoul will be closed on Friday.

Medical assistance will be available on-site, with four emergency medical booths set up near Anguk Station, Cheonggye Plaza, Hannam-dong and Yeoui-daero. These booths, staffed with medical personnel and ambulances on standby, will begin operating at 1 p.m. Thursday.

Seoul's 25 district offices will coordinate efforts through a dedicated emergency hotline and the city government will work with fire authorities to ensure an immediate response to any emergencies.

On Wednesday morning, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon held a meeting with officials, including district chiefs from Jongno, Jung, Yongsan and Yeongdeungpo.

In his opening remarks, Oh stressed that public safety would be the top priority and vowed that officials would take pre-emptive action.

“From now on, we will act with the mission of ensuring that no one suffers any injuries,” Oh said, urging public cooperation, as on-site safety cannot be ensured by the police and city government alone.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]