S.Korea Appeals Court Reduces Sentence For Ex-PM Han To 15 Yrs In Insurrection Trial

SEOUL, May 7 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- An appeals court on Thursday reduced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's sentence from 23 years to 15 years in prison over his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law, Yonhap News Agency reported

The Seoul High Court handed down the sentence after finding Han guilty of playing a key role in an insurrection by aiding and abetting Yoon's declaration of martial law in December 2024.

The former prime minister was indicted by special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team on charges of proposing that Yoon convene a Cabinet meeting before declaring the decree to make it appear legitimate, attempting to collect Cabinet members' signatures on a martial law-related document and reviewing the implementation of Yoon's order to cut off power and water to media outlets critical of the administration.

He was also charged with signing a revised martial law proclamation after the decree was lifted and lying under oath during Yoon's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court.

In its ruling, the appellate court said Han was guilty of all the charges in line with the lower court's decision.

In a partial reversal, however, it acquitted him of perjury over his remarks that he did not see former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun hand a martial law-related document to former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min.

Han's lawyers quickly announced a plan to appeal the court ruling to the Supreme Court.

The former prime minister has been under arrest since January, when the lower court sentenced him to 23 years.

-- BERNAMA-YONHAP