A court in Seoul sentenced former South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison on Wednesday for his role in the failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.

The sentence significantly exceeds the 15-year prison term sought by the public prosecution. In his ruling, Judge Lee Jin-gwan stated that “the defendant failed, until the very end, to properly fulfill his duty and responsibility as prime minister.”

The court found Han Duck-soo guilty of serious dereliction of duty in connection with the events surrounding the attempted declaration of martial law, which plunged the country into a major political crisis late last year.