At the first trial sentencing hearing in the case against former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on charges including aiding the leader of an insurrection, the court said the charge of engaging in important duties related to the insurrection is recognized.
The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Agreement Division 33 (Presiding Judge Lee Jin-gwan) held the first trial sentencing hearing in Courtroom 417 at 2 p.m. on the 21st for the case against the former prime minister on charges including aiding the leader of an insurrection and engaging in important duties related to the insurrection, and stated accordingly.
As the former prime minister appeared in court, reporters asked questions, but no answer was given.
The former prime minister was indicted on Aug. 29 last year on charges of aiding by omission, even though, as prime minister, there was a duty to check President Yoon Suk-yeol's arbitrary abuse of power when martial law was declared on Dec. 3, 2024.
The special counsel initially applied the charge of aiding an insurrection, but also asked the court to rule on engaging in important duties related to the insurrection by seeking to amend the indictment, and the court allowed it.
After martial law was lifted, the former prime minister also faces a charge of signing, along with former President Yoon Suk-yeol and former Ministry of National Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, the post facto proclamation drafted by former Presidential Secretariat Protocol Office Chief Kang Ui-gu to remedy legal defects in the initial martial law proclamation, and then destroying it.
There is also a charge of perjury for testifying last February as a witness in the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial of the president to the effect that the martial law proclamation was not recognized.
At the sentencing argument hearing on Nov. 26 last year, the special counsel investigating the insurrection case sought a 15-year prison term for the former prime minister.