South Korea’s former prime minister jailed for 23 years on charges of insurrection

SEOUL — A South Korean court jailed former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for 23 years on Wednesday, on charges that included insurrection relating to ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law in December 2024.

Han, 76, is the first former cabinet minister to be handed a ruling by a court on criminal charges directly related to martial law, which legal experts have said could prove a bellwether for other trials.

The Seoul Central District Court found Han guilty because he was instrumental in setting up the outward appearance of a cabinet meeting that facilitated the declaration, a judge said, a move he described as a “top-down insurrection”.

Former South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (C) arrives at the Seoul Central District Court for his