South Korea’s former prime minister Han Duck-soo has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in an insurrection stemming from former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law declaration on 3 December 2024. The verdict, delivered on Wednesday, marks the first judicial ruling that the martial law attempt constituted insurrection.
The court found that Han actively created the appearance of a legitimate cabinet meeting to rubber-stamp an unconstitutional decree. The judge rejected using precedents from past military coups as sentencing guidelines, calling this a “self-coup” by elected power that posed unique dangers to democracy. The court noted that Han, as prime minister, had a constitutional duty to prevent the insurrection but instead “chose to join” it.
Among the most damaging evidence was an 8 December phone call in which Han told a presidential aide to destroy a backdated martial law document, saying: “Let’s make it as if my signature never existed.” The court found no genuine remorse, noting that Han had continued concealing evidence and lying throughout the trial. CCTV footage showed him nodding as Yoon explained the plan and receiving documents including the martial law proclamation.
The court also found Han guilty of creating false documents, destroying presidential records and perjury during Yoon’s impeachment proceedings. Prosecutors had demanded 15 years, arguing that Han bore unique responsibility as the only person constitutionally positioned to block the decree. Han, a career diplomat who served five presidents, maintained throughout the trial that he privately opposed martial law and was in psychological shock.
Unlike Yoon and other co-defendants, Han remained free throughout his trial after a judge rejected his arrest warrant in August. The verdict was delivered five days after a separate court sentenced Yoon to five years’ imprisonment for obstructing his own arrest. Yoon’s verdict over his insurrection trial is scheduled for 19 February, with prosecutors demanding the death penalty.
