South Korea (The COW News Digital) A South Korean court has sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for his role in the unconstitutional imposition of martial law in December 2024, marking a major development in one of the country’s most serious political trials in decades.
According to international media reports, the district court ruled that the declaration of martial law amounted to an act of rebellion against the constitutional order. The verdict follows the earlier conviction of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who had ordered the deployment of military and police forces to parliament and election offices.
The court found that Han Duck-soo, who was appointed prime minister by Yoon, carried out the martial law directive without resistance and played a central role during the crisis. Judges noted that he was one of the three most influential officials involved in managing the interim leadership during the period of emergency rule.
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In its detailed judgment, the court described the former president’s actions as a “self-engineered rebellion,” aimed at undermining democratic institutions and weakening the constitutional system. The ruling stated that the deployment of security forces posed a serious threat to civil liberties and could have pushed the country back toward an era of authoritarian rule.
The court emphasized that the defendants’ actions risked plunging South Korea into a dark chapter where public freedoms were suppressed and democratic norms dismantled. Judges said the severity of the offense justified a harsher punishment than what prosecutors had sought.
Prosecutors had requested a 15-year prison sentence for the former prime minister, but the court imposed a significantly longer term, citing the gravity of his role and the potential consequences of the martial law decision.
At 76 years old, Han Duck-soo has the legal right to appeal the verdict. During the trial, he maintained that he opposed the martial law plan and argued that his actions were taken under extreme pressure. The court, however, rejected this defense, stating that evidence showed active compliance rather than resistance.
This conviction marks the first time a senior official from former President Yoon’s administration has been sentenced on charges of rebellion related to the 2024 crisis. Yoon himself has been in prison for several months and currently faces eight criminal cases, including charges of insurrection.
Legal experts say the ruling reinforces South Korea’s commitment to constitutional governance and the rule of law. Observers note that the verdict sends a strong signal that attempts to undermine democratic institutions will face strict judicial consequences.
