"The Entire Nation and State Are Victims... Severe Punishment Needed to Prevent Repetition of Tragic History"
Former Prime Minister Han Charged with Aiding Rebellion Leader and Perjury in Constitutional Court Impeachment Trial
Former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, accused of aiding and abetting the leader of the rebellion, is attending the first trial sentencing hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court on the 26th. Photo by Yonhap News
The special prosecutor's team for the December 3 Martial Law Rebellion, led by Cho Eunseok, has requested a 15-year prison sentence for former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, who is under investigation for charges related to the rebellion.
During the sentencing hearing held on the 26th at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Agreement Division 33 (Presiding Judge Lee Jinkwan), the special prosecutor's team asked the court to impose a heavy sentence of 15 years in prison on Han, who is charged with aiding and abetting the leader of the rebellion, participating in key rebel operations, and perjury.
The special prosecutor's team stated, "The defendant was, in effect, the only person who could have prevented this rebellion, yet he neglected his duty as a public servant to the entire nation and participated in the rebellion through a series of actions before and after the declaration of martial law. The damage to the state and its people is enormous. He attempted to legitimize the December 3 Martial Law by remedying procedural flaws through subsequent departmental actions, committed additional crimes of judicial obstruction such as falsifying official documents, consistently maintained an uncooperative attitude by reversing his statements, and showed no signs of remorse. All of these factors should be considered in sentencing."
The special prosecutor's team characterized last year's December 3 Martial Law as "an act of terrorism against Korean democracy, with the entire nation and state as victims." They added, "The defendant must be severely punished to ensure that such tragic history is never repeated in Korea."
Former Prime Minister Han was indicted on August 29 for failing to prevent and instead abetting the illegal declaration of martial law. He is also accused of signing, along with former President Yoon Sukyeol and former Minister of National Defense Kim Yonghyun, a subsequent declaration drafted by Kang Uigu, former Presidential Secretary, on December 5 last year to correct legal flaws in the initial martial law declaration, and then destroying the document.
Additionally, in February, he was charged with perjury for testifying as a witness in the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial of the President, claiming that he was not aware of the martial law declaration.
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