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South Korea·Democracy

Appeals court cuts former South Korean PM Han Duck-soo's insurrection sentence to 15 years

Thursday, 7 May 2026, 16:52 · 1 min read

South Korea's Seoul High Court has reduced the prison sentence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo from 23 years to 15 years for his role in abetting ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024. The court upheld Han's conviction on most charges — including helping stage the martial law declaration to appear legitimate and reviewing plans to cut power and water to critical media outlets — but acquitted him on several counts related to neglect of duty, accounting for the eight-year reduction. The ruling matters because it reaffirms that Yoon's martial law declaration constituted an insurrection, a characterisation with major implications for South Korean constitutional history; Han's lawyers have already announced plans to appeal further.

Sources
Yonhap(2nd LD) Appeals court reduces sentence for ex-PM Han to 15 yrs in insurrection trial ↗︎
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