A South Korean court on January 21 sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck Soo to 23 years in prison on a series of charges, including participating in the case related to the martial law declaration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024.
The verdict was issued by the Seoul Central Court after the first-instance trial.
According to the panel's assessment, Mr. Han Duck Soo plays an important role in creating the external form of a cabinet meeting - a factor considered to help legitimize the decision to impose martial law. The judge described this as a "rebellion from above", arguing that this action seriously damaged the democratic order.
The court emphasized that the defendant was once the Prime Minister, who was assigned responsibility and indirectly legitimized democracy but chose to ignore the consequences and participate in the event on December 3, 2024. According to the judge's argument, those actions put South Korea at risk of returning to the dark period, when the basic rights and democratic order of the people are violated.
In addition to the charges related to martial law, the first-instance court also declared Mr. Han Duck Soo guilty of other acts such as making false statements and creating false official documents. During the trial, Mr. Han Duck Soo rejected most of the charges, only admitting a part related to making false statements.
At the age of 76, Mr. Han Ducks Soo became the first former cabinet member to receive a first-instance court ruling on criminal charges directly related to martial law. After the verdict was announced, he was immediately detained in court.
This ruling may still be appealed. The judge said that it is expected that the case will continue to be considered at higher levels of trial, including the possibility of being brought to the Supreme Court.
