Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attends the first trial verdict hearing. Yonhap News

The special prosecution team investigating charges of rebellion related to the December 3rd emergency martial law has requested a 15-year prison sentence for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

The special prosecution team made this request at the final hearing for Han's case, which includes charges of aiding and abetting rebellion, engaging in a critical role during rebellion, and perjury, held on the 26th at the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 33 (Presiding Judge Lee Jin-kwan).

The special prosecution team stated, "Despite being virtually the only person capable of preventing this rebellion, the defendant abandoned his duty as a public servant and participated in the rebellion through a series of actions before and after the declaration of martial law."

They further emphasized, "The immense damage inflicted upon the nation and its people, the attempt to legitimize the December 3rd emergency martial law by rectifying procedural flaws through post-hoc measures, the additional crimes such as forging official documents which constitute obstruction of justice, and the defendant's uncooperative attitude, including repeated changes in testimony, demonstrating no remorse, should be considered in sentencing."

The special prosecution team particularly described the December 3rd emergency martial law as causing "damage immeasurable and difficult to fathom, significantly damaging national prestige and causing immense disappointment to the public, more so than the rebellion 45 years ago." They defined the case as "a terror against South Korea's democracy, with the nation and its people as victims."

They added, "The defendant must be severely punished so that such unfortunate history is not repeated in South Korea."

Han, as the Prime Minister, the 'number two in state affairs,' was indicted on August 29th for allegedly failing to prevent the illegal declaration of emergency martial law, thereby abetting it, despite his duty to check the President's arbitrary abuse of power.

The special prosecution team had applied to amend the indictment, requesting the court to also consider the charge of engaging in a critical role during rebellion if the charge of aiding and abetting rebellion is not proven, accepting the court's recommendation, which the court granted.

Han is also accused of signing a post-hoc declaration of martial law, drafted by former Presidential Office Deputy Chief of Staff Kang Ui-gu to rectify legal defects in the initial declaration dated December 5th of last year, along with former President Yoon Suk-yeol and former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, and then subsequently discarding it.

He is also charged with perjury for testifying in February during the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial of the President, with statements to the effect that he was 'unaware of the declaration of martial law'.

The court previously announced that the sentencing for Han would take place on January 21st or 28th of next year. If the proceedings continue as scheduled, he will be the first among the cabinet members indicted for rebellion to receive a first-instance judgment. The conclusion of the trial proceedings also occurred the earliest in this case.

Yonhap News