A South Korean court on Wednesday sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for his role in the events surrounding former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law in December 2024, marking the first criminal conviction of a senior cabinet official directly tied to the crisis.
The ruling is widely seen as a turning point in the legal reckoning over the short-lived but highly controversial imposition of military rule, which plunged the country into its deepest political turmoil in decades.
Judges at the Seoul Central District Court found Han, 76, guilty of insurrection-related charges, perjury, and falsifying official documents, concluding that he helped create the formal appearance of a cabinet meeting that enabled the martial law decree.
The presiding judge described the maneuver as a “top-down insurrection,” saying Han played a key role in providing procedural cover for the decision.
According to the court, Han also took part in discussions aimed at obstructing the functioning of major democratic institutions, including parliament, during the crisis.
“The defendant was a prime minister who had been entrusted with democratic legitimacy and responsibility,” the judge said. “Nevertheless, he chose to ignore that duty and participate in the December 3 insurrection.”
The court warned that the actions placed South Korea at risk of sliding back into authoritarian rule, threatening civil liberties and democratic order.
In a rare move in South Korean judicial practice, the court imposed a sentence significantly harsher than prosecutors had sought. Prosecutors had requested a 15-year term, but judges handed down 23 years, citing the gravity of the offense and its implications for constitutional governance.
Han was taken into custody immediately following the ruling. His legal team said the verdict would be appealed to the Supreme Court.
“I will humbly accept the court’s decision,” Han told reporters after sentencing. He had previously denied all charges except perjury, saying he regretted failing to stop the declaration of martial law but insisted he neither agreed with nor assisted it.
The verdict drew swift public reaction, with many seeing it as accountability long demanded by opponents of martial law.
“This is a ruling that citizens who opposed martial law can fully accept,” said Kim Su-hyeon, a 23-year-old commuter who watched the news broadcast at a Seoul train station, speaking to Reuters.
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Legal analysts say the case may set a precedent for other trials stemming from the December 2024 crisis, as multiple officials remain under investigation for their roles.
Han was long regarded as one of South Korea’s most seasoned technocrats, having served in senior government positions under five different presidents. He briefly became acting president after Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached, before Han himself was removed amid accusations that he had aided the martial law declaration.