As the sentencing date of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment trial approaches, violence in Korea is reaching a dangerous level. Violent incidents against citizens and public authorities have become more frequent on the streets. Religious leaders, who are supposed to be healers of conflict, incite violence, and political leaders are not hesitating to say harsh remarks.

Experts worry that Korean society is deteriorating from a state of “psychological civil war” to a state of “civil war on the street” in which violence is expressed. They advised that Yoon and other political leaders should accept the Constitutional Court's verdict and send a message of national unity.

According to the police on March 23, some attendees of rallies against Yoon’s impeachment were arrested for verbally abusing and assaulting citizens and police in front of the Constitutional Court in Seoul between March 20 and 22. On the 20th, far-right YouTuber Ahn Jeon-kwon and others stormed a rally in favor of Yoon’s impeachment. When the Korean Peasants League announced a “tractor rally” to call for Yoon's removal on the 25th, users of an online community against Yoon’s impeachment warned of hardline responses, calling them a “spy group” and saying they “wanted to bulldoze them out.” Clashes between the farmers' organization and conservative groups are feared.

Politicians have also been exposed to violence. On the 20th, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers Back Hye-ryun and Lee Geon-tae were pelted with raw eggs during a press conference in front of the Constitutional Court. On the same day, another DPK lawmaker Lee Jae-jung, who also visited the Constitutional Court for a press conference, said she was punched in the thigh by a man in his 60s who was protesting against the impeachment there.

At an anti-impeachment rally held near Gwanghwamun in Seoul the previous day, a "step-on zone" was set up, stepping on photos of some ruling party politicians who voted for impeachment, including former People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon and lawmakers Kim Jae-sup and Ahn Cheol-soo.

Some religious figures who are supposed to lead peace and harmony are also inciting violence. “The country will live only if Lee Jae-myung dies,” Son Hyun-bo, a pastor of Segero Presbyterian Church, said at a “national emergency prayer meeting” in Yeouido, Seoul, on March 1. “The Constitutional Court will be shattered.” Another pastor, So Ki-chun, a former professor at Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary, wrote on Facebook on the 12th, “I wish success to the assassination plan of DPK leader Lee Jae-myung.”

The language of political circles has also become harsher. “Anyone, whether it's the police or the public, can arrest him (Choi) immediately. I hope you take care of yourself,” Lee said to Acting President Choi Sang-mok who held off the appointment of Ma Eun-hyuk, a candidate for new Constitutional Court justice.

PPP lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo described the attack on Lee on his social media account, saying, “Lee was lying inanimate on the road after being scratched in the neck.”

President Yoon has been fueling conflict with messages directed at his supporters. Yoon expressed his position on the recent forest fire accident on his social media account on that day, but remained silent about his impeachment trial. There are also media reports that First Lady Kim Keon-hee told officials of the Presidential Security Service after Yoon's arrest, "I want to shoot Lee Jae-myung, and I want to kill myself."

“Political polarization has evolved from a psychological civil war to a civil war on the street, which is very dangerous,” Chae Jin-won, a professor at Kyunghee University's Institute of Public Governance, told reporters on a phone interview. "President Yoon, who is responsible for defending the constitution, does not say to his supporters, ’Submit and refrain from violence,' so the DPK does not back down, and both sides are fighting in a life-or-death manner.” Chae added, He said, "The division of public opinion intensifies as politicians only engage in hate politics in consideration of their strong supporters. Politicians should not encourage conflict and violence, but should refrain from it."

Lee Jae-mook, a professor of political science and diplomacy at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, called the current situation “the biggest crisis of Korea’s democracy since the pro-democracy movement in 1987,” with both sides overly sensitive.” Lee added, “If violence is used in a state of psychological civil war, there will be no turning back. Instead of pressuring the Constitutional Court and taking to the streets, politicians should now accept the court’s verdict and send a message for national unity.”