South Korea’s Seoul High Court on May 7 reduced the prison sentence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo from 23 years to 15 years for his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed declaration of martial law in December 2024.
The court affirmed key findings that Han helped facilitate Yoon’s measure and failed to oppose it.
The ruling said that Han, 76, participated in actions that enabled Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law and later attempted to conceal aspects of the episode.
However, it concluded that prosecutors had not fully established that Han actively planned or directed the effort.
“The defendant, as prime minister, had the responsibility to curb and control the president’s wrongful execution of his power and help him legally exercise his authority,” the lead judge said. “But he abandoned the enormous duty and joined the side participating in insurrection. … He committed crimes afterwards to cover up his guilt, so his crime is grave.”…
South Korean Court Reduces Former Prime Minister’s Prison Sentence to 15 Years
