South Korean Ex-Premier Gets 23 Years in Prison for Role in Martial Law

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Choe Sang-HunJanuary 21, 2026 at 10:51 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Former South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Wednesday for his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law in late 2024. The Seoul Central District Court convicted Han of collaborating in what it deemed an act of insurrection by Yoon. Judge Lee Jin-kwan stated that Han, as prime minister, failed to uphold his duty to defend the constitution and instead participated in the insurrection. Yoon's martial law, which lasted only six hours, involved banning political activities and deploying troops to take over the National Assembly, citing election fraud. A separate court is scheduled to rule on whether Yoon was the ringleader of the insurrection, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

National Election Commission 50% Lee Jin-kwan ×260% Seoul Central District Court ×270% National Assembly ×370% martial law ×680% Yoon Suk Yeol ×680% Han Duck-soo ×690% South Korea ×4100%

Keywords

martial law 100% insurrection 90% han duck-soo 80% yoon suk yeol 70% south korea 70% prison sentence 60% former prime minister 50% political crisis 50% national assembly 40%