Post by : Shakul

South Korea’s appeals court has reduced the prison sentence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in the country’s major martial law rebellion case linked to former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The decision marks another major development in the political crisis that shook the country after the failed martial law declaration in December 2024.

The Seoul High Court on Thursday reduced Han’s sentence from 23 years to 15 years in prison. While the court upheld most of the serious charges against him, judges decided to lower the punishment after reviewing the overall circumstances of the case and previous rulings involving other officials connected to the incident.

The court maintained that Han played a major role in supporting the illegal martial law decree announced by then President Yoon Suk Yeol. According to prosecutors, Han attempted to give legitimacy to the emergency order by arranging a Cabinet meeting and discussing plans involving restrictions on major media organizations.

Judges also upheld convictions related to falsifying martial law documents, destroying official records, and providing false testimony under oath during investigations. The court stated that Han had failed in his responsibilities as the second-highest official in the government and participated in actions considered harmful to the constitutional order of the country.

The martial law crisis became one of the most serious political events in modern South Korea history. The declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024 caused nationwide political unrest and strong public backlash. The government’s actions triggered legal investigations, impeachment proceedings, and criminal trials against several senior officials.

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this year after being convicted of rebellion charges connected to the martial law order. Other officials involved in the case also received prison sentences, including former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, who was sentenced to seven years in jail.

Legal experts in Seoul said the appeals court still viewed Han’s crimes as extremely serious but likely considered consistency with sentences given to other officials. Analysts believe the reduction to 15 years reflects the court’s attempt to balance accountability with broader legal standards applied in related cases.

Han Duck-soo, now 76 years old, served twice as Prime Minister during a long career in public service. He first served under former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun and later returned to office under conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol. During the political crisis, Han also briefly served as one of the country’s caretaker leaders after Yoon’s suspension from office.

Both prosecutors and Han’s legal team have seven days to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court of South Korea. The case continues to attract national attention as the country deals with the long-term political impact of the failed martial law attempt and leadership crisis.

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