South Korea court sentences ex-PM Han to 23-year jail term

[SEOUL] A South Korean court on Wednesday (Jan 21) sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in jail for charges including engaging in a key action of insurrection concerning ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law in December 2024.

The Seoul Central District Court found Han guilty on the charge because he was considered instrumental in setting up the outward appearance of a Cabinet meeting that worked to facilitate the martial law declaration, a judge said.

Han, 76, is the first former Cabinet minister to be handed a ruling by a lower court on criminal charges directly related to martial law.

Han was detained by the court immediately after the ruling. REUTERS