Seoul High Court Cuts Han Ducksoo's Term to 15 Years

The Seoul High Court on Thursday reduced the prison sentence of former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo to 15 years from 23 years for his role in supporting then-President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law declaration on December 3, 2024.

The appellate panel, presided over by Judges Lee Seungcheol, Cho Jingu, and Kim Mina, upheld most of the lower court's findings that Han engaged in key acts of insurrection aimed at disrupting South Korea's constitutional order. The court determined that Han, as prime minister, abandoned his responsibilities by helping create the false impression that Yoon's martial law decree had undergone proper Cabinet deliberation. This included proposing a Cabinet meeting after the declaration to simulate review and soliciting signatures from ministers on related documents.

Judges also convicted Han of discussing measures with then-Interior Minister Lee Sangmin to block access to key institutions and cut off electricity and water supplies to media outlets. Additional convictions involved creating false public documents and violating the Presidential Records Act. After martial law was lifted hours later amid public backlash, Han signed a revised...