22/01/2026

THURSDAY | JAN 22, 2026

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Former South Korean PM found guilty of insurrection

Abe’s assassin jailed for life NARA: A Japanese court yesterday sentenced a 45-year-old man to life imprisonment for fatally shooting former prime minister Shinzo Abe, public broadcaster NHK reported, in an incident that stunned the nation three and a half years ago. Tetsuya Yamagami was arrested at the in July 2022 after fatally firing at Abe with a homemade gun while he was delivering a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. Abe, the country’s longest-serving premier, was 67. A guilty verdict was all but certain after Yamagami admitted to killing Abe in the first court hearing at the Nara District Court in October, and attention had been on the severity of the sentence. Prosecutors sought a life sentence last month, calling the act an “extremely grave incident that is unprecedented in post-war history”. Although he was no longer Japan’s leader at the time, Abe remained a powerful and binding force within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. His absence has left a vacuum within the party, which has since seen two leadership races and by extension, a revolving door of prime ministers. Abe himself served as prime minister for a total of 3,188 days over two separate terms, stepping down in September 2020 citing health reasons. His protegee Sanae Takaichi now leads Japan and the LDP, but the party’s grip on power has considerably diminished. Abe’s killing also brought to light a deep link between his party and the Unification Church, an organisation many consider a cult. An in-party investigation found that more than a hundred lawmakers had dealings with the group, leading many voters to shun the LDP, which has ruled Japan for most of the post-war period. Media have quoted Yamagami as telling the court that he held a grudge against the Unification Church after his mother’s large donation to it caused financial hardship for their family, and that he took out his anger on Abe because the former prime minister had once sent a video message to an event held by a group affiliated with the church. Founded in South Korea in 1954, the Unification Church is famous for its mass weddings and counts Japanese followers as a key source of income. Yamagami’s lawyers argued that the family’s misfortune caused by the donation to the Unification Church should be taken into consideration and limit his prison term to 20 years at most. – Reuters

o Han faces 23 years in jail

wrongdoing, insisting he had never supported or helped the martial law declaration. After Yoon was removed from office in April, Han assumed his post as acting president and was at one point seen as a strong conservative contender in the snap election. He resigned from the role in May to pursue a presidential bid, which soon collapsed when Yoon’s party refused to nominate him as its standard-bearer. Yesterday’s verdict comes after former president Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing justice and other crimes linked to his martial law move. Yoon is also facing a verdict over his central role as the ringleader of the insurrection in the decree for which prosecutors are calling for the death penalty. The Seoul Central District Court, presided over by a different judge from Han’s trial, will deliver its ruling on Feb 19. – AFP/Reuters

“As a result of the defendant’s actions, South Korea was in danger of returning to the dark past when the basic rights and liberal democratic order of the people were violated, potentially preventing them from escaping from the quagmire of dictatorship for a long time.” The lower court also found Han guilty of related charges such as perjury and creating a false official document. Han had denied wrongdoing for all charges except partial perjury. Han, 76, is the first former cabinet minister to be handed a ruling by a lower court on criminal charges directly related to martial law. Han was detained by the court immediately after the ruling. The ruling can be appealed, and Han’s lawyer said he expected the ruling to be appealed up to the Supreme Court. During the course of the trial, Han denied

SEOUL: A South Korean court yesterday sentenced former prime minister Han Duck soo to 23 years in jail for charges including engaging in a key action of insurrection concerning ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law in December 2024. The Seoul Central District Court found Han guilty because he was considered instrumental in setting up the outward appearance of a Cabinet meeting that facilitated the martial law declaration, a judge said, calling it a “top-down insurrection”. “The defendant was a prime minister who had been indirectly given democratic legitimacy and responsibility ... Nevertheless, the defendant chose to turn a blind eye ... and participate as a member of the Dec 3 insurrection,” the judge said.

Han (centre) arriving at the Seoul Central District Court yesterday. – AFPPIC

Hong Kong ferry disaster ruled ‘unlawful killing’ HONG KONG: A ferry collision in which 39 people died more than a decade ago was an unlawful killing, according to a long-awaited court ruling yesterday. Coroner Monica Chow said yesterday that the crash happened because of gross negligence by the coxswain from each vessel. “I find each of the 39 deceased was killed unlawfully,” she said.

Chow said the passage of time led to “faded memories” and “inconsistencies” from witnesses. Aside from jailing the coxswains, Hong Kong courts previously handed prison sentences to two government ship inspectors who failed to ensure lifejacket compliance. A government investigation alleged misconduct by 17 Marine Department officers, but their names and the full report were not disclosed for privacy reasons. The Marine Department told AFP last year it had amended marine safety laws and set up a dedicated team to “strictly review” vessel construction and modification.

The Lamma IV ferry sank after crashing with another vessel on Oct 1, 2012, killing 31 adults and eight children in what became the city’s deadliest maritime disaster since 1971. A judge-led commission found “a litany of errors” related to the Lamma IV , including a missing bulkhead door which contributed to the ferry sinking within two minutes. The coroner’s court held an inquest last year following a lawsuit brought by victim representatives.

Both coxswains were jailed in 2015 as part of a criminal case and completed their sentences years ago. Coroners in Hong Kong look into the cause and circumstances of death but have no authority to punish culprits. The inquest spanned more than 40 days and called 84 witnesses, including those responsible for designing, building and certifying the Lamma IV.

Yamagami pleaded guilty at his first hearing. – AFPFILEPIC