尹선고일 서울에 경찰기동대 1만4천명 배치

[홀랜]

Police officers maintain order around the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, central Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

The Korea National Police Agency will raise its emergency alert to the highest level on the day of the Constitutional Court’s final verdict on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, deploying over 60 percent of the country's crowd control units in Seoul.

This is just one of many measures as authorities ramp up security efforts to preempt potential safety threats as it is widely believed that the Constitutional Court's final ruling nears though an exact date has not yet been released.

According to the police, it is set to issue a “gapho” emergency — the highest emergency level in the police’s emergency response system, which allows the mobilization of up to 100 percent of all available police personnel — across police agencies nationwide on the day of Yoon’s impeachment ruling.

About 20,000 officers in mobile police squads — the units used for crowd control — will be on standby for expected protests, with 338 units mobilized.

Police reportedly planned on deploying some 14,000 officers in Seoul, an increase from its initial plan of 12,000 officers. They will be able to use extendable batons and tear gas if necessary.

The mobile police squads will be tasked with managing any large-scale gatherings, intense protests and attack threats on major facilities, including the Constitutional Court.

The police said investigators would also be deployed to the court premises to arrest any protestors who break into the court building, adding that there would be zero tolerance for any violence or challenges to public authority.

The areas near the Constitutional Court have been designated a "no-fly” zone for drones since March 14, and police plan to deploy an antidrone system there.

As well as the mobile police squads, special police units will be on standby to handle potential threats and emergencies.

Additional security measures in the general area will be implemented on the day of the impeachment ruling, including the temporary closures of one gas station, four construction sites and the rooftops of 22 buildings near the Constitutional Court.

A total of 513 Seoul firefighter paramedics and 84 ambulances will be deployed to the four major protest sites -- Anguk Station, Gwanghwamun, Yeouido and Hannam-dong -- cooperating with the police.

On-site medical centers will temporarily be managed to offer emergency treatment.

In the event of any medical emergencies, the police reportedly made arrangements with Gangbuk Samsung Hospital, a major hospital about two kilometers from the court, to ensure the swift treatment of any patients.

While the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to close Anguk Station on the day of the court’s ruling, it might also close Hangangjin Station on Line No. 6 — a metro station near the presidential residence in central Seoul — if concerns over safety issues arise.

At the discretion of the respective station director on the ruling day, subway trains may skip stops at Gyeongbokgung Station on Line No. 3; Gwanghwamun Station and Jongno 3-ga Station on Line No. 5; Jonggak Station and City Hall Station on Line No. 1; and Hanggangjin Station on Line No. 6 to ensure public safety.

sj_lee@heraldcorp.com