{
  "id": 3894989,
  "title": "Special counsel seeks 5-year sentence for ex-PM Han over dereliction of duty",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/special-counsel-seeks-5-year-sentence-for-ex-pm-han-over-dereliction",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T05:17:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/law-crime/20260828/special-counsel-seeks-5-year-sentence-for-ex-pm-han-over-dereliction-of-duty"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "A special counsel team on Friday sought a five-year jail term for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for failing to fulfill his constitutional duty by refusing to appoint Constitutional Court justices. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team made the request during the final hearing of Han's trial at the Seoul Central District Court on charges including dereliction of duty. The team claimed Han…",
  "key_points": [
    "Special counsel seeks 5-year sentence for former Prime Minister Han.",
    "Alleges Han neglected constitutional responsibilities by refusing to appoint justices.",
    "Han failed to appoint candidates recommended by National Assembly during martial law period."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The special counsel's request for a five-year sentence for dereliction of duty tightens the legal noose around the former Prime Minister, adding to his existing 15-year prison term for insurrection.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Special counsel seeks 5-yr sentence for ex-PM Han over dereliction of duty",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/special-counsel-seeks-5-yr-sentence-for-ex-pm-han-over-dereliction-of",
        "published": "2026-08-28T04:44:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Special counsel seeks 5-year sentence for ex-PM Han over dereliction of duty",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/special-counsel-seeks-5-year-sentence-for-ex-pm-han-over-dereliction-3896418",
        "published": "2026-08-28T05:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}