South Korea’s Ex-PM Convicted Of Insurrection, Sentenced To 23 Years In Prison

A South Korean court has handed former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo a 23-year prison sentence after convicting him on insurrection-related charges tied to former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed declaration of martial law.

The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday found Han guilty of aiding Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law and failing to convene a lawful cabinet meeting, a requirement under South Korean law, after the then-president ordered the military to be mobilised in December 2024.

Delivering the judgment, Judge Lee Jin-gwan said Han “disregarded his duty and responsibility as prime minister until the very end”.

“As a result of the defendant’s actions, South Korea was in danger of returning to the dark past ‌ when the basic rights and liberal democratic order of the people were violated, potentially preventing them from escaping from the quagmire of dictatorship for a long time,” the judge added.

The court also ordered Han’s immediate detention, citing fears that he could interfere with or destroy evidence.

At 76, Han becomes the first member of Yoon’s cabinet to be convicted and jailed over the controversial martial law declaration. He had denied all allegations, insisting he had no prior knowledge of Yoon’s plan to impose military rule.

His conviction follows last week’s sentencing of former President Yoon, who was jailed for five years after being found guilty of offences linked to the martial law episode, including obstructing authorities, fabricating official documents and failing to follow legal procedures.

Beyond that sentence, Yoon is also standing trial on more serious charges of leading an insurrection through the martial law decree. A special prosecutor has demanded the death penalty, with a verdict expected next month.

Reporting from Seoul, Al Jazeera’s Jack Barton said Wednesday’s ruling is a major turning point, as Han is the first senior official to receive a verdict directly tied to the martial law order.

“This is the first verdict, and 23 years he has received. That is higher than the 15 [years] the prosecution was asking for,” Barton said.

“It certainly doesn’t bode well for former President Yoon when his final verdict comes up – it is expected on February 19,” he added.

The judgment is widely seen as setting the tone for how the courts may rule in Yoon’s upcoming insurrection case.