Group 1 - Former South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in prison for assisting in a coup and related crimes, marking a significant legal precedent in South Korea regarding emergency martial law [1] - The Seoul Central District Court found most of the charges against Han to be guilty, including his actions during the declaration of emergency martial law, which were deemed to meet the legal criteria for insurrection [1] - This ruling is the first time a South Korean court has determined that the declaration of emergency martial law constitutes insurrection, highlighting the court's stance on constitutional obligations [1] Group 2 - The case against Han Duck-soo is part of a broader investigation into the emergency martial law declared by then-President Yoon Suk-yeol, which led to political turmoil including Yoon's suspension, arrest, and impeachment [2] - The special investigation team filed charges against Han in August 2025, including allegations of assisting insurrection, creating false documents, and perjury [2]

Group 1 - The South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk-yeol to five years in prison for obstructing official duties related to the emergency martial law he declared [1] - The court's ruling is expected to influence other cases related to the emergency martial law and may serve as a precedent for future judgments [1] - The prosecution requested the death penalty for Yoon Suk-yeol in a separate case involving charges of treason, marking the first time in nearly 30 years that a former South Korean leader faces such a severe penalty [1] Group 2 - On December 3, 2024, Yoon Suk-yeol announced the emergency martial law in response to opposition parties leveraging their majority in the National Assembly, which led to his impeachment [2] - The Constitutional Court ruled in April 2025 that the emergency martial law violated the South Korean Constitution and laws, resulting in Yoon Suk-yeol's removal from office [2]

Core Points - The South Korean prosecution has requested the court to impose the death penalty on former President Yoon Suk-yeol for his role in an alleged coup attempt involving a state of emergency declaration [1] - The prosecution argues that Yoon's actions severely undermined the rule of law in South Korea and constituted organized crime through the abuse of presidential power [1] - Following Yoon's failed emergency declaration, he was impeached by the National Assembly, leading to early elections where Lee Jae-myung from the Democratic Party was elected [1] Group 1 - Yoon Suk-yeol began preparations for declaring a state of emergency in October 2023, which included military restructuring and planning [2] - His team allegedly prepared torture tools and attempted to provoke North Korea into attacking South Korea to justify the emergency declaration [2] - The special investigation team has charged 24 individuals, including Yoon, for attempting to replace the National Assembly with military authority [1][2] Group 2 - Yoon faces over ten charges, including insurrection, abuse of power, and obstruction of justice, with a request for a 10-year prison sentence for obstruction of arrest [3] - The trial is expected to reach a verdict in three days [3]

Core Viewpoint - The special investigation team in South Korea has concluded its investigation into the emergency martial law declared by President Yoon Suk-yeol, resulting in lawsuits against 24 individuals, including Yoon himself, marking him as the first sitting president in South Korea's constitutional history to be prosecuted [1] Group 1: Emergency Martial Law Implementation - Yoon Suk-yeol issued an emergency martial law order on December 3, 2024, after a series of systematic preparations [1] - The relocation of the presidential office to the Ministry of National Defense building facilitated closer contact with military command [1] Group 2: Military Engagement and Justification - From March 2024, Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Dong-kyun engaged with military commanders to frame the political situation as a "national crisis" instigated by pro-North Korean leftist forces, emphasizing the necessity of martial law [2] - The investigation revealed that Yoon communicated a firm stance on implementing martial law regardless of the National Assembly election outcomes, which contributed to the military's perception of the legitimacy of such actions [2] Group 3: Strategic Personnel Appointments - Yoon's strategy involved appointing trusted allies from his alma mater and military academy to key military positions, aiming to consolidate personal power and eliminate political opposition [3] - Evidence from a notebook belonging to former intelligence chief Yoo Sang-won indicated plans to undermine leftist forces and manipulate legal frameworks to monopolize power [3] Group 4: Provocation of External Threats - The investigation suggested that Yoon attempted to create conditions for declaring martial law by provoking external threats, including discussions of deploying drones to North Korea to elicit a military response [4] - The plan involved selecting skilled personnel for potential military actions, although North Korea did not respond with actual military measures [4] Group 5: Legal Proceedings - Legal experts indicated that the cases involving Yoon, Kim Dong-kyun, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, and other officials are expected to be adjudicated between January and February of the following year, prior to the regular personnel adjustments of judges [5]

Group 1 - The Special Investigation Team in South Korea has filed lawsuits against 24 individuals, including former President Yoon Suk-yeol, regarding the emergency martial law incident [1][5] - Investigations revealed that Yoon Suk-yeol and his associates attempted to use the military to suspend the political system and paralyze the National Assembly, aiming to replace it with an emergency legislative body to consolidate power [1][5] - The preparations for the emergency martial law were significantly intensified during military restructuring at the end of 2023, involving personnel appointments and operational planning [1][5] Group 2 - On December 3, 2024, Yoon Suk-yeol announced the emergency martial law, citing obstruction from the opposition party, but it ultimately failed, leading to his impeachment and a subsequent early election won by Lee Jae-myung from the Democratic Party [1][5] - The investigation also uncovered notes from former intelligence chief Ryu Sang-won suggesting plans to provoke North Korea into an attack, which would provide a pretext for the emergency martial law [1][5] - Public confidence in state institutions has been gradually recovering following the crisis caused by the emergency martial law incident [6] Group 3 - In July, the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Martial Law Act, explicitly prohibiting military and police from entering the National Assembly without permission, and proposed that public officials, including military personnel, could refuse illegal orders [7] - The new civilian Defense Minister An Gyeong-beom has begun restructuring the military's upper echelons, while Lee Jae-myung has proposed constitutional amendments to change the presidential term from a single five-year term to two four-year terms [7] - The presidential office is expected to relocate back to Cheong Wa Dae, with surrounding areas remaining accessible to the public [7]

Core Viewpoint - The South Korean special investigation team has applied for the detention of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, citing allegations of assisting in a coup, perjury, and creating false documents related to the illegal declaration of a state of emergency by former President Yoon Suk-yeol [1] Group 1 - The special investigation team has conducted multiple summons investigations of Han Duck-soo, indicating that he is considered a "core accomplice" in the actions leading to the declaration of an illegal state of emergency [1] - Han Duck-soo, born in 1949, is a senior political figure in South Korea, having previously served as Prime Minister during the Roh Moo-hyun administration and held various significant positions, including Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Ambassador to the United States [1] Group 2 - The investigation also focuses on whether former President Yoon Suk-yeol abused his powers during state meetings before and after the emergency declaration, and whether other state council members were accomplices [2] - It was found that after the emergency declaration by Yoon Suk-yeol, the then Chief of Staff to the President, Kang Yi-kyu, drafted the emergency decree and obtained signatures from Han Duck-soo and former Defense Minister Kim Dong-hyun to evade accountability [2] - The emergency decree was not issued in written form as required by the South Korean Constitution, which mandates that such actions must be documented and signed by the Prime Minister and relevant council members [2]