South Korea court cuts ex-PM Han Duck-soo’s sentence in martial law case

A South Korean appeals court has reduced the prison sentence of former prime minister Han Duck-soo, trimming eight years from his original term over his role in the fallout from ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law.

The ruling, delivered in Seoul on Thursday, brings Han’s sentence down from 23 years to 15.

“We sentence the defendant to 15 years in prison,” the presiding judge said.

The case stems from Yoon’s December 2024 decree, which briefly suspended civilian rule and triggered a political crisis before opposition lawmakers overturned it within hours. Han had been convicted earlier this year of participating in the insurrection, along with perjury and falsifying official documents.

The appeals court upheld most of those convictions but recalibrated the penalty, pointing to Han’s long public service and a lack of evidence that he played a leading role in planning or executing the move. The judge said Han’s “more than 50 years as a public official prior to the martial law declaration” weighed in his favour, adding:

“The records also make it difficult to find evidence showing that the defendant participated more actively in the insurrection, such as by conspiring in advance or systematically leading the operation.”

At the same time, the court made clear it saw serious failures in judgment. Han had “abandoned the grave responsibilities arising from the authority and position entrusted to him and instead sided with those participating in the acts of insurrection”, the judge said.

Han, 76, has been in custody since his original sentencing in January and showed little visible reaction as the verdict was read. He has consistently denied wrongdoing on most charges, acknowledging only perjury. In November, he said he regretted not stopping the declaration of martial law but insisted he “never agreed to it or tried to help”.

The political context around the case remains unsettled. Han, a veteran technocrat who served under five presidents, briefly became acting president after Yoon’s impeachment before facing impeachment himself over allegations tied to the same episode. That move was later overturned by the Constitutional Court, allowing him to return to office before stepping down to run in a snap presidential election — a bid he ultimately abandoned amid divisions within conservative ranks.

Yoon, meanwhile, faces a broader legal reckoning. He has been sentenced to life in prison on charges of “masterminding an insurrection” and is currently dealing with multiple ongoing trials. The former president denies the accusations, arguing he acted within his authority and intended to highlight political obstruction. He has apologised for the disruption caused by the decree but said he stands by its “sincerity and purpose”.