Former South Korean PM Han handed a 23-year prison sentence in martial law case
The court ruling marks the first time a member of ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol's cabinet is convicted over the failed martial law attempt.
A South Korean court has sentenced former prime minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for his role in a failed attempt to impose martial law during the administration of ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol.
The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence on Wednesday in the first ruling confirming that the December 3 2024 martial law declaration constituted an insurrection, according to Yonhap News.
Han, 76, served as South Korea's prime minister under Yoon, who was ousted from office last year for trying to impose martial law.
This ruling marks the first time a member of Yoon's Cabinet has been convicted over the martial law attempt, which was disrupted by lawmakers who rushed to parliament and passed a motion against the ousted president's declaration.
Last week Yoon was also sentenced to five years in prison on charges that he obstructed investigators' attempt to detain him last year.
A special prosecutor, investigating the martial law case, has demanded the death penalty for Yoon over the insurrection charges. A court is set to rule on that case on February 19.