(ATTN: UPDATES with more details of ruling; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) — An appeals court on Thursday reduced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s sentence from 23 years to 15 years in prison over his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law.
The Seoul High Court handed down the sentence after finding Han guilty of playing a key role in an insurrection by aiding and abetting Yoon’s declaration of martial law in December 2024.
The eight-year reduction, however, appeared largely due to differences with the lower court over whether the former prime minister neglected his duties when he failed to stop the former president from imposing the order.
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (R) stands to receive the verdict at his appellate trial at the Seoul High Court in the capital on May 7, 2026, on charges of playing a key role in an insurrection by aiding former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed imposition of martial law, in this photo provided by the court. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Han was indicted by special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team on charges of proposing that Yoon convene a Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law in order to make it appear legitimate, attempting to collect Cabinet members’ signatures on a martial law-related document and reviewing the implementation of Yoon’s order to cut off power and water to media outlets critical of the administration.
He was also charged with signing a revised martial law proclamation after the decree was lifted and lying under oath during Yoon’s impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court.
In its ruling, the appellate court said Han was guilty of all the charges in line with the lower court’s decision. In a partial reversal, however, it acquitted him of failing to fulfill his duty to allow a free discussion of important policies by all Cabinet members and to stop the execution of the order to cut power and water.
The court further acquitted him of perjury over his remarks that he did not see former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun hand a martial law-related document to former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min.
The lower court’s ruling had been the first instance that confirmed Yoon’s martial law declaration constituted an insurrection. The appeals court reaffirmed the characterization.
“The crime of insurrection is a crime that threatens a state’s existence and directly violates the basic democratic order outlined in the Constitution by destroying the basic systems of state organization through a riot,” the court said. “It is a serious crime that cannot be compared with any other crime in terms of its nature and gravity.”
The bench also chastised Han for abandoning his authority and duty as prime minister to stand on the side of the insurrection and for committing further crimes to conceal his wrongdoing.
Still, it recognized that the former prime minister had served as a dedicated public servant for more than 50 years prior to the martial law episode and the lack of evidence that suggested he had actively plotted or participated in the act.
Han’s lawyers quickly announced a plan to appeal the ruling, while the special counsel team said it would study the written judgment before deciding whether to appeal.
The former prime minister has been under arrest since January when the lower court sentenced him to 23 years.
People watch a live TV broadcast at Seoul Station in the capital on May 7, 2026, which shows former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attending a hearing at the Seoul High Court to receive the verdict for his appeals trial over charges he played a key role in an insurrection by abetting former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed imposition of martial law. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
