Han Duck-soo Likely to Be Released on Nov. 20 as 'Detention Period Expires'... Supreme Court to Hold Additional Hearing a Day Earlier

Six-month detention period in insurrection case appeal expires
Supreme Court en banc to hold second hearing on November 19
November 30 verdict in separate case could be a factor

Han Duck-soo, the former prime minister who is standing trial in detention on charges of performing a key role in an insurrection, is increasingly likely to be released when his detention period expires on November 20. The Supreme Court has scheduled a second hearing for the day before his detention expires, making it unlikely that a verdict will be issued before then.

Former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, accused of aiding and abetting the leader of an insurrection, attends the first-trial sentencing hearing at Seoul Central District Court on Jan. 21, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongju

According to legal circles on November 10, the Supreme Court en banc will hold a continuation hearing on November 19 in the appeals case involving Han and former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, who are charged with performing key roles in an insurrection, among other offenses. This will be the second hearing, following the first en banc hearing in September 2026.

Han’s six-month maximum detention period for the appeal proceedings expires on November 20. The Supreme Court has extended his detention twice since receiving the case in May 2026. Although Special Counsel Cho Eun-seok’s team investigating the insurrection submitted a brief requesting a swift verdict, the Supreme Court’s decision to hold an en banc hearing on the day before the detention period expires means Han is expected to be released unless there are separate grounds for detaining him.

Han was indicted without detention in August 2025 on charges including aiding and abetting the ringleader of an insurrection. In January 2026, the trial court sentenced him to 23 years in prison and detained him in court. On appeal in May 2026, his sentence was reduced to 15 years.

In August 2026, the Supreme Court referred the case to its en banc panel, citing strong public interest and the need to hear together cases involving defendants who were accomplices. The main issue is how to interpret the offense of performing a key role in an insurrection and the scope of its application.

However, even if Han is released, he could still be detained again. He was also indicted over allegations related to the failure to appoint and the nomination of Constitutional Court justices, and is awaiting a first-trial verdict on November 30 at the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Agreement Division 33, presided over by Judge Lee Jin-kwan. If the court imposes a prison sentence and orders his detention in court, he will be detained again.

In this case, the special counsel team investigating the insurrection sought a five-year prison sentence for Han. However, the team reportedly does not plan to request an additional detention warrant before the verdict, considering, among other things, that arguments in the case have already concluded.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.