Every day, thousands of protesters gather near South Korea’s top court, which has fortified its walls with razor wire as its eight justices prepare a ruling that could shape the future of the country’s democracy. Many shout for the court to remove Yoon Suk Yeol, the country’s president, accusing him of “insurrection.” Nearby, a rival group chants for his reinstatement, calling his impeachment by Parliament “fraudulent.”

Never have the jitters run so high in South Korea before a court ruling as they do now, while the country waits impatiently for its Constitutional Court to decide whether to remove or reinstate Mr. Yoon. The court’s ruling could help bring an end to the months of political turmoil Mr. Yoon unleashed on Dec. 3 with his failed attempt to place his country under martial law.

Or it could push the country into a deeper political crisis.

South Koreans have grown weary of the prolonged political uncertainty and want the court to decide soon. But it has kept them on edge for weeks, giving no hint when its justices will deliver probably the most consequential ruling of their careers.

Police are preparing for the worst, regardless of how the decision goes. Schools, street vendors and a former royal palace in the neighborhood of the Constitutional Court will close on the day of ruling. The police called for the removal of rocks, empty bottles, trash bins — anything that could be a weapon — from the streets. About 14,000 police officers are ready to deploy. Drones have been banned from flying over the courthouse, and all 86,000 privately owned guns in the country must be kept locked in police stations.

As the deliberations dragged on, conspiracy theories abounded and speculation flourished. Some suggested that the court was irreparably split. (The votes of at least six of the eight justices are needed to remove Mr. Yoon. Otherwise, he will be reinstated.) Others said it was just taking time to make its historic ruling watertight.