Special counsel seeks 5-yr sentence for ex-PM Han over dereliction of duty

A special counsel team has requested a five-year prison sentence for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, alleging he neglected his constitutional responsibilities by refusing to appoint Constitutional Court justices. The request was made during the concluding hearing of Han's trial at the Seoul Central District Court, which encompasses multiple charges, including dereliction of duty.

The counsel contends that Han's refusal to appoint the justices, lacking adequate legal justification, constitutes a breach of constitutional order. Han is alleged to have failed to appoint candidates for justices recommended by the National Assembly while serving as acting president following the imposition of martial law by the previously ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol in late 2024.

The former Prime Minister was originally given a 23-year prison sentence for his involvement in an insurrection, which was later reduced by an appellate court to 15 years.