Seoul appeals court docket cuts ex-prime minister’s jail sentence from 23 years to fifteen.
Revealed On 7 Might 2026
A South Korean appeals court docket has decreased the sentence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo by eight years for crimes regarding ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law.
The decision was issued within the South Korean capital, Seoul, on Thursday.
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Yoon’s decree in December 2024 briefly suspended civilian authorities and plunged South Korea into chaos, nevertheless it solely lasted about six hours as opposition lawmakers moved shortly to overturn it in a vote.
A decrease court docket had sentenced Han in January to a heavier-than-expected jail time period of 23 years for participating within the rebellion, in addition to on associated fees of perjury and falsifying an official doc.
However the appeals court docket in Seoul lower that by eight years on Thursday, with the presiding decide saying: “We sentence the defendant to fifteen years in jail.”
The court docket nonetheless maintained most of Han’s convictions however lessened the penalties after making an allowance for his “greater than 50 years as a public official previous to the martial legislation declaration”.
“The information additionally make it tough to search out proof displaying that the defendant participated extra actively within the rebellion, akin to by conspiring prematurely or systematically main the operation,” the decide mentioned.
Nevertheless, he mentioned Han had “deserted the grave duties arising from the authority and place entrusted to him and as a substitute sided with these collaborating within the acts of rebellion”.
Han, carrying a white shirt and a darkish swimsuit with no tie, listened to the decision with out displaying a lot emotion.
The 76-year-old has been imprisoned since his authentic sentence in January.
Han had denied wrongdoing on all fees besides perjury, saying in November that whereas he regretted not with the ability to cease Yoon from declaring martial legislation, he “by no means agreed to it or tried to assist”.
Han is an skilled technocrat, who served in senior posts underneath 5 presidents.
He turned the performing president after Yoon was impeached, earlier than his personal impeachment on accusations of getting aided Yoon within the martial legislation declaration.
The Constitutional Court docket overturned Han’s impeachment, restoring his powers to function chief earlier than he resigned from the publish to run in a snap election in June.
He ended his bid for the presidency following rifts amongst conservatives.
Yoon, who faces eight separate trials, was handed a life sentence in February on fees of “masterminding an rebellion”.
Yoon, a former profession prosecutor, denied the fees, arguing he had presidential authority to declare martial legislation and that his motion was aimed toward sounding the alarm over opposition events’ obstruction of presidency.
He has apologised for the “frustration and hardship” introduced upon the individuals by his martial legislation decree, however mentioned in a press release after the sentencing that he stood behind the “sincerity and goal” behind his actions.
