South Korea’s ex-PM Han gets 23 years in prison for insurrection tied to martial law

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by ReutersJanuary 21, 2026 at 07:26 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Former South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Wednesday by a Seoul court for aiding and abetting an insurrection related to a 2024 martial law declaration. The court found Han disregarded his duty as prime minister in supporting the decree issued by then-President Yoon Suk-yeol. The martial law, which deployed troops to key government buildings, was deemed an attempt to subvert the constitutional order. Although the opposition-led parliament vetoed the martial law, Han was ordered to report to prison immediately following the ruling, which exceeded the prosecutor's requested sentence.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

National Assembly 40% National Election Commission 40% Seoul Central District Court 50% Lee Jin-gwan ×260% Yoon Suk-yeol ×270% South Korea 80% Han Duck-soo ×290%

Keywords

martial law 100% insurrection 90% prison sentence 80% han duck-soo 70% prime minister 60% south korea 60% yoon suk-yeol 50% constitutional order 50% court ruling 40%