Supporters of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol rally in front of the Seoul Western District Court, Jan. 18, where a hearing was held to decide whether to formally arrest him over his short-lived martial law imposition. Joint Press Corps.

Up to 44,000 people gathered outside a court Saturday to support impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as he underwent a hearing on his potential arrest over his short-lived imposition of martial law, police said.

Yoon was brought to the Seoul Western District Court shortly before the 2 p.m. hearing in a motorcade escorted from a detention center in Uiwang, just south of the capital, where he has been held since Wednesday night.

An estimated 44,000 people rallied outside the court throughout the day, according to police, chanting Yoon's name and waving the Korean and U.S. flags. Some broke down in tears, while others engaged in minor scuffles with police officers.

The rally became increasingly heated as protesters tried to push past police officers and enter the court grounds, shouting, "Open the court entrance," and "I have to see the president's face."

Supporters of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol rally near the Seoul Western District Court, Jan. 18, where a hearing was held to decide whether to formally arrest him over his short-lived martial law imposition. Joint Press Corps.

Police broadcast repeated warnings that their actions could lead to their arrest or trigger a crowd crush.

When Yoon left the court to return to the detention center after the hearing ended, his supporters roared and grabbed vehicles presumably belonging to investigators and called for the dissolution of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, which is leading the probe into the martial law case.

Some broke the cars' door handles and released air from the tires.

Outside the detention center in Uiwang, around 100 of Yoon's supporters cheered for him as his convoy returned, waving their flags and sighing or shedding tears.

Just meters away, members of a progressive civic group held a competing rally calling for his arrest. (Yonhap)