The Supreme Court's full bench will hear the final appeal cases of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, who face charges of playing a key role in an insurrection.

The Supreme Court announced through a press release today (August 5) that "these two cases have garnered significant public interest, require historical and judicial evaluation, and need to be examined together as the defendants are accomplices," adding that "they are scheduled to be reviewed by the full bench upon requests from respective small panels."

The cases of former Prime Minister Han and former Minister Lee had been previously reviewed by the second and third small panels, respectively, but have now been referred to the full bench for review and judgment by all Supreme Court justices.

Final appeal cases are typically adjudicated by a small panel consisting of four Supreme Court justices. However, cases are referred to the full bench if a consensus cannot be reached within the small panel, if there is a need to modify existing precedents, or if trial by the small panel is deemed inappropriate.

Among these, cases deemed inappropriate for small panel trials include those with extremely high public interest or those dealing with issues requiring historical and judicial evaluation.

Former Prime Minister Han was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Seoul High Court's dedicated insurrection trial panel in the second trial after being indicted on charges including playing a key role in an insurrection. He was accused of proposing the convocation of a Cabinet meeting to create the appearance that former President Yoon Suk Yeol's emergency martial law proclamation on December 3, 2024, had gone through Cabinet deliberation, and attempting to obtain signatures from Cabinet members after the martial law declaration.

Former Minister Lee was sentenced to 9 years in prison in the second trial after being indicted on charges including receiving instructions from former President Yoon to blockade major institutions such as the National Assembly and to cut off electricity and water supply to media companies, and subsequently passing those directives on to the head of the National Fire Agency.

Previously, former Prime Minister Han, former Minister Lee, and the Special Prosecutor Team for the Insurrection led by Cho Eun-seok all appealed against the second-instance rulings, bringing the matter before the Supreme Court for judgment.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Kim Naon | Graphics by Yang Hyemin | Produced by SBS Digital News