Why did a South Korean court reduce the former Prime Minister's sentence?

A South Korean appellate court has issued a new ruling in the case of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The court reduced his prison sentence from 23 to 15 years.

This case is said to be related to former President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law in 2024.

The appellate court upheld the main conclusions of the lower court's decision. Specifically, it noted that Han Duck-soo participated in actions that facilitated the declaration of martial law.

It was also emphasized that he did not take sufficient measures to dissuade the former president from this decision. According to investigation materials, the former prime minister convened a cabinet meeting.

The court assessed that this meeting was aimed at legally formalizing martial law. Han Duck-soo, however, claimed the purpose of the meeting was to stop the president's actions. The court did not accept these arguments.