Appeal Trial for Han Duck-soo, Sentenced to 23 Years, Begins on the 11th... Could End as Early as Next Month

According to Financial News, the appeal trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was sentenced to 23 years in prison for allegedly knowing in advance about former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s December 3 state of emergency and martial law plan and not stopping it but instead participating in it, will begin in earnest on the 11th. The court plans to conclude the trial as early as next month. In this appeal, the court intends to call Lee Sang-min, former minister of the Interior and Safety, again as a witness.
Criminal Division 12-1 of the Seoul High Court, presided over by Judge Lee Seung-cheol of the Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 12-1 with Judge Kim Min-a of the Seoul High Court as associate judge, held the first pretrial hearing on the 5th for Han on charges including performing important duties related to insurrection. This panel has been designated as a court dedicated to insurrection cases. Under the Criminal Procedure Act, the defendant is not required to appear at a pretrial hearing, so Han did not attend that day.
At the pretrial hearing, the judges coordinated the litigation schedule with both sides and decided to hold the first trial session on the 11th, followed by four trial sessions in total. They indicated that the proceedings could be concluded at the fourth session, scheduled for the 7th of next month. However, the court added, "If circumstances arise, such as a failure to secure witnesses, we may schedule one or two additional sessions," leaving that possibility open.
The court plans to summon Lee Sang-min, former minister of the Interior and Safety, as a witness at the first trial session on the 11th. Lee had also appeared as a witness in Han’s first-instance trial but refused to testify at that time.
Han’s defense team argued that, for a thorough examination of the case, it is necessary to conduct witness examinations of nine people, including former President Yoon Suk Yeol, former minister Lee, former justice minister Park Sung-jae, former National Intelligence Service (NIS) director Cho Tae-yong, and former Office of National Security (ONS) chief Shin Won-sik. The court, however, declined to call three of them, including former President Yoon.
Regarding live coverage of the trial, Han’s side also requested that some witness examinations be held behind closed doors, arguing that "facts are distorted or the trial is turned into a spectacle when the overall context is ignored." The court responded, "As a rule, when an application for courtroom broadcasting is filed, it is typically granted," but added, "If there is a need for partial restrictions, we will consider it."
On January 26, Criminal Division 33 of the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Han to 23 years in prison on charges including performing important duties related to insurrection. He was indicted for allegedly learning in advance of former President Yoon’s plan to declare a state of emergency and martial law on the night of December 3, 2024, yet failing to stop it and instead lending his support. He also faced charges of discussing with former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min the execution of orders to blockade the National Assembly and cut off power and water to media outlets, drafting the martial law proclamation after the fact and then destroying it, and committing perjury before the Constitutional Court of Korea.
theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter