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A court in Seoul sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison on Wednesday for his role in the unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law in South Korea in December 2024.
Judge Lee Jin-gwan stated in his ruling that “the defendant failed to fulfill his duties and responsibilities as Prime Minister to the very end,” announcing a sentence eight years longer than the 15-year imprisonment requested by prosecutors for Han.
The court ordered Han, who appeared before it as a free man, to immediately go to prison to begin serving his sentence.
Judge Lee asserted that the martial law decree announced by former President Yoon Suk-yeol in December 2024 aimed to “undermine the constitutional system” and amounted to rebellion.
Han Duck-soo, 76 years old, was Prime Minister under Yoon Suk-yeol when the president unexpectedly took this step.
Han is one of several former officials who were prosecuted for their roles in attempting to enforce martial law.
Judge Lee noted during the televised sentencing that “the defendant played an important role in the rebellious actions undertaken by Yoon and others, by ensuring compliance with the legal procedures required,” adding that Han “did not openly oppose” this action despite having “expressed his concerns to Yoon” about it.
After Yoon was ousted from office in April, Han assumed the role of acting president and was once regarded as a strong conservative candidate in the early elections; he resigned in May to run for the presidency, but his candidacy failed due to Yoon’s party rejecting his nomination.
