The trial of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was set to start on Tuesday with oral arguments over his short-lived bid to impose martial law which threw the country into the worst political chaos in decades.

South Korea looks set for a dramatic political showdown this week as impeachment proceedings kick off against suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, who remains holed up in his fortified residence evading arrest for a separate criminal investigation.

The Constitutional Court, an arbiter in a polarized nation, is about to consider whether Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment for declaring martial law was justified.

Yoon Suk Yeol is facing a criminal investigation for alleged insurrection, the first case of its kind against a sitting South Korean president.

Crowds of people wrapped up against the bitter January cold clutch signs emblazoned with the slogan “Stop the Steal,” wave US flags, and don red MAGA-like hats.

The president's conservative supporters contend that the country has been overrun by North Korea sympathizers conspiring to destroy South Korea’s freedoms.

The Constitutional Court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is planning a new attempt to take Yoon into custody over a separate case relating to his failed attempt to impose martial law in early December.

However, the arguments in the Constitutional Court is likely to be scheduled for next session on Thursday as President Yoon is reportedly not expected to attend the proceedings.