South Korea court sentences ex-PM to 23-year jail termListen to this articlePeople watching a news report on South Korea's Seoul Central District Court ruling on charges against former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for engaging in a key action of insurrection concerning ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in December 2024, are reflected on a television in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday. (Photo: Reuters)SEOUL — A South Korean ‌court on Wednesday 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 faciliate 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.

Source: Bangkok Post January 21, 2026 08:20 UTC