"First Guilty Verdict Among Yoon Officials" and "Sentence Exceeds Prosecutor's Request"... Foreign Media Focus on Han Duck-soo Ruling

Conviction for Major Insurrection-Related Charges
Intense Global Focus on Han Duck-soo's Verdict
"Expected to Influence Yoon's Ruling," Say Observers

Foreign media outlets also showed great interest in the sentencing of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was convicted of participating in major duties related to insurrection and received a heavy sentence of 23 years in prison. On the 21st (local time), the Associated Press (AP) highlighted, "Former Prime Minister Han is the first official from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to be convicted of insurrection in connection with former President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law."

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, accused of aiding and abetting the leader of the insurrection, is attending the first trial sentencing hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court on the 21st. Photo by Yoon Dongju

The AP reported, "This verdict is expected to have a significant impact on future rulings concerning former President Yoon and his close associates," adding, "Insurrection is one of the most serious crimes in South Korea, and recently, the special prosecutor requested the death penalty for former President Yoon, who was indicted for leading the insurrection. The verdict for former President Yoon is scheduled to be delivered on February 19."

Reuters noted, "In an unusual move for the Korean judicial process, Han received a 23-year sentence, which is heavier than the 15 years requested by the prosecution," and stated, "Former President Yoon is awaiting another ruling on the most serious charge of leading the insurrection. Although prosecutors have sought the death penalty in this case, South Korea has not carried out any executions since 1997."

Japan's TV Asahi commented on the heavier sentence than the prosecution's request, stating, "Former Prime Minister Han tried to evade responsibility by lying during the trial, which further deepened the political division and conflict within Korean society." The Sankei Shimbun reported on the court's decision to classify the December 3 Martial Law as insurrection, saying, "This is the first time that the act of declaring martial law, such as deploying military forces to the National Assembly, has been ruled as insurrection under the Criminal Act."

Germany's Deutsche Welle cited the verdict, stating, "South Korea could have easily regressed into a dark past where the fundamental rights of the people and the basic order of liberal democracy were trampled, potentially getting stuck in the quagmire of dictatorship for a long time, and the people suffered irreparable loss and wounds."

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appeared as a defendant at the trial on charges including aiding and abetting the leader of the insurrection and perjury held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on September 30 last year. Photo by Joint Press Corps

On the 21st, the Seoul Central District Court, during the sentencing hearing for former Prime Minister Han on charges of participating in major duties related to insurrection, stated that the December 3 Martial Law "was declared with the intent to undermine the constitutional order, mobilized numerous military and police officers to occupy the National Assembly and other institutions, exercised physical force, and sparked a riot that harmed a particular region."

The court further pointed out, "Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Yong-hyun declared martial law and, based on this, issued a proclamation. However, the proclamation did not follow constitutional procedures, aimed to eliminate parliamentary democracy guaranteed by the Constitution, and imposed bans on the press and publications with the intent to abolish constitutional and legal functions." The court continued, "Issuing an unconstitutional and unlawful proclamation and mobilizing military and police forces to occupy the National Assembly and the National Election Commission constitutes an act of insurrection as defined in Article 87 of the Criminal Act."

The court also noted, "Former Prime Minister Han did not dissuade Yoon Suk-yeol when he went to declare martial law," and concluded, "It appears that Han agreed with and supported the necessity of martial law." Following the court's decision to take him into custody immediately after sentencing, former Prime Minister Han is expected to announce soon whether he will appeal.