The appeal ruling for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who received a heavy sentence at the first trial on charges including aiding former President Yoon Suk-yeol's December 3 martial law declaration, will be broadcast live.
According to legal circles on Tuesday, the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 12-1 (presiding judge Lee Seung-chul) decided to livestream the appeal ruling for Han, who faces charges including engaging in key duties of an insurrection. The ruling will take place at 10 a.m. on the 7th.
This marks the third case in which the Seoul High Court has decided to livestream a ruling. Previously, the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 1 (presiding judge Yoon Sung-sik) and Criminal Division 15-2 (presiding judge Shin Jong-oh) livestreamed rulings in former President Yoon's "obstruction of arrest" case and first lady Kim Keon-hee's "Deutsch Motors stock manipulation" case, respectively.
As prime minister and deputy chair of the State Council, Han was indicted on charges of failing to prevent former President Yoon's illegal martial law declaration and aiding it. He also faces charges of drafting and discarding a post-facto declaration document to address legal defects revealed in the initial martial law declaration. In addition, he is charged with perjury for testifying at former President Yoon's impeachment trial to the effect that he was unaware of the martial law declaration document.
The first-instance court found him guilty on most charges, including engagement in key duties of an insurrection, preparation of false official documents, and perjury, excluding the charge of using false official documents related to storing the post-facto declaration. The court rebuked him, stating, "The defendant, while keeping in mind the possibility that the December 3 insurrection could succeed, turned away from his duties and responsibilities as prime minister and chose to participate as a member of it," and sentenced him to 23 years in prison. This is eight years higher than the 15-year prison term sought by the insurrection special counsel (Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk).
At the final appellate hearing last month, the special counsel asked the court to maintain the original sentence. In response, the court stated, "The defendant has continued in the appeal to deny the crime or claim not to remember, just as in the lower court," and explained its reasoning, saying, "The 23-year prison sentence from the lower court is a punishment commensurate with the defendant's culpability."
