It will be interesting to see if President Lee considers a pardon for Han because a 23 year prison sentence that would see him spend the rest of his life in prison is harsh:

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (C) arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on Jan. 21, 2026, to attend the sentencing hearing of his trial on insurrection charges. (Yonhap)

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in prison Wednesday for playing a key role in an insurrection by abetting former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law

The court said the former prime minister took part in the insurrection by proposing that Yoon convene a Cabinet meeting before declaring the decree.

Han did not voice his opposition to the declaration during the Cabinet meeting and appeared to have encouraged then Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to execute Yoon’s orders to cut off power and water to media outlets critical of the administration, it said.

“The defendant had a duty as a prime minister indirectly given democratic legitimacy and the responsibility for it to follow the Constitution and laws and make every effort to realize and defend the Constitution,” the judge said during the sentencing hearing, which was televised live.

“Even so, he neglected this duty and responsibility until the end, thinking the Dec. 3 insurrection might succeed, and chose to take part as a member,” he added.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

The next time someone checks into a Lotte Hotel they could be getting their key card from a robot:

Lotte Hotels & Resorts has joined a government-backed effort to develop humanoid robots tailored for hotel operations, marking the first time a Korean hotel group has participated in a national program focused on next-generation service robotics.

The company said it was selected as the lead operator in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources’ “core robot technology development” project and will take part in the so-called K-Humanoid Alliance, a consortium of government agencies, universities and technology firms working on advanced humanoid platforms.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

The ROK might want to consider having some of these missiles pointed across the Yellow Sea as well because the Chinese likely have missiles pointed at South Korea:

South Korea’s military has begun deploying the high-power Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile, military sources said Sunday, as Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back called for a “balance of terror” to counter North Korea’s nuclear threat.

The surface-to-surface missile — dubbed a “monster” because of its size — is designed to strike underground bunkers and is a key element of South Korea’s plan to deter and, if necessary, respond to a major North Korean attack.

South Korea has increasingly emphasized conventional strike capabilities as it seeks to strengthen deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. 

Ahn has called for a substantial buildup of South Korea’s strike arsenal in response to North Korea’s nuclear threats.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Over the weekend former President Yoon learned that he will spend five years in jail for charges related to his martial law decree:

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to five years in prison Friday on charges that included the obstruction of investigators’ attempt to detain him last year.

The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence in the first ruling on charges stemming from Yoon’s short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024.

Chief among the charges in Friday’s case was that the then president had ordered the Presidential Security Service to block investigators from executing a warrant to detain him at the official presidential residence in January last year.

Judge Baek Dae-hyun, the presiding judge, chastised Yoon during the hearing attended by the jailed former president and televised live.

“He effectively privatized the armed forces through the public servants of the Presidential Security Service who are loyal to the Republic of Korea for his personal safety and interests,” he said.

“Considering the need to restore the rule of law damaged by the defendant’s crimes, a severe punishment that matches the guilt is necessary.”

The sentence was half of what special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team had requested last month, saying the former president committed a “grave crime” by “privatizing” state institutions with the aim of concealing and justifying his criminal acts.

In addition to obstructing his detention, Yoon was accused of violating the rights of nine Cabinet members who were not called to a meeting to review his martial law plan, and drafting and later destroying a revised proclamation after the martial law decree was lifted.

He was also charged with ordering the distribution of press statements containing falsehoods about the declaration and the deletion of records from secure phones used by then military commanders.

The judge said Yoon was guilty of all charges except with regard to the rights of two of the nine Cabinet members and the order to distribute false press statements.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Please leave anything you want to discuss in the comments section.

You would think they would just wrap up all these charges into one trial, but here we are with 8 trials:

 Former President Yoon Suk Yeol will receive his first court verdict on charges stemming from his December 2024 imposition of martial law later this week, officials said Thursday.

The Seoul Central District Court will hold the sentencing hearing of Yoon’s trial on special obstruction of public duty and other charges in connection to his failed martial law bid at 2 p.m. Friday.

It marks Yoon’s first sentencing of the eight cases he is standing trial on, including over charges he led an insurrection through his Dec. 3 martial law declaration in 2024.

Friday’s sentencing centers on charges Yoon blocked investigators from detaining him in January last year, violated the rights of nine Cabinet members who were not called to a meeting to review his martial law plan, and drafted and destroyed a revised proclamation after the decree was lifted.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.