Special Prosecutor Demands 15-Year Prison Sentence for Han Duck-soo on Insurrection Charges... Verdict Expected Next January

[Financial News] The Special Prosecutor Team for Insurrection and Treason has demanded a 15-year prison sentence for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The prosecution argued that Han, despite his constitutional duty to prevent Yoon Suk Yeol's December 3 martial law declaration, not only failed to stop it but actively participated, making a heavy sentence inevitable. The first trial verdict is expected in January next year. This will be the judiciary's first ruling on the charges of martial law and insurrection.
On the 26th, during the final hearing at the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 33 (Presiding Judge Jin Gwan Lee), the Special Prosecutor Team requested this sentence for Han, who was indicted without detention on charges including abetting the ringleader of insurrection, carrying out key insurrection-related duties, and perjury.
The prosecution stated, "In addition to the gravity of the insurrection charge, the defendant was virtually the only person who could have prevented the crisis, yet he abandoned his duty as a public servant and participated in the insurrection through a series of actions before and after the martial law declaration." They added, "We considered the immense harm done to the nation and its people, his attempt to legitimize martial law through procedural fixes after the fact, and additional crimes such as judicial obstruction by creating false official documents."
They further pointed out that Han, as the second-highest official in the Cabinet, not only failed to stop the constitutionally problematic martial law declaration by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol but also participated by drafting and destroying false martial law documents, and attempted to cover up the matter through perjury at the Constitutional Court of Korea and the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea.
The prosecution described the martial law as "an act of terror against Korean democracy." They emphasized, "The entire nation and its people are victims, and the defendant must be severely punished to prevent such a tragic history from repeating in Korea."
However, Han's defense denied the charges, claiming he was unaware of and opposed the insurrection. In his closing argument, Han's lawyer stated, "The defendant only learned of the martial law declaration after it was announced and was not aware of any specific insurrection-related acts beyond the declaration itself. He warned Yoon Suk Yeol that martial law would devastate the economy and damage Korea’s international credibility, so the charge of abetting the ringleader does not apply."
He added, "The defendant merely suggested convening additional Cabinet members and did not instruct anyone to contact specific members. During the impeachment proceedings, it was also found that there was no evidence of active involvement."
The defense also argued that the prosecution's amendment to the indictment was invalid. However, all perjury charges against Han were acknowledged.
Han, as Prime Minister and the nation's second-in-command, was obligated to check the president's arbitrary use of power. Nevertheless, he was indicted without detention on August 29 for aiding and abetting the illegal martial law declaration.
Shortly after the martial law, on December 5 last year, Han was also accused of signing, along with Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Yong-hyun, and others, a supplementary declaration drafted by former Presidential Secretary Kang Uigu to address legal flaws in the original martial law document, and then destroying it. He also faces charges of perjury for testifying at the Constitutional Court of Korea during the president’s impeachment trial in February, claiming he was unaware of the martial law declaration.
The court previously announced that Han's verdict would be delivered on either January 21 or 28 next year.
theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter