South Korea's human rights commission urges progress on death penalty abolition
In short
South Korea's National Human Rights Commission urged the government and parliament on October 10 to advance discussions on abolishing the death penalty. It also called for talks on joining the UN death-penalty abolition protocol as the country approaches 30 years without an execution.
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South Korea's National Human Rights Commission called on October 10 for the government and parliament to advance legislative and institutional discussions on abolishing the death penalty. Chair Ahn Chang-ho (안창호) issued a statement marking the 24th World Day Against the Death Penalty. He also urged discussions on joining the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which concerns abolition of the death penalty. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
South Korea has not executed anyone since December 30, 1997, and next year will mark 30 years without executions, the statement said. Reports described the country as retaining the death penalty in law while being classified as abolitionist in practice. Ahn argued that the experience of maintaining public safety and the criminal justice system without executions provided grounds for advancing the debate over whether the penalty should remain in law. His statement framed the long halt as more than a simple postponement of punishment. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
The commission said discussions must take seriously the suffering of victims of violent crime and their families, as well as demands for safety. It nevertheless argued that protecting victims' rights and strengthening social safeguards should be examined separately from retaining a punishment that takes a human life. Ahn stressed that an execution cannot be undone through later judicial proceedings. Reports said he cited a case in which a retrial in 2007 found previously executed defendants innocent, illustrating the risk of judicial error. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
The reports cited Amnesty International figures that 145 countries had abolished capital punishment in law or practice by the end of last year, including 113 that had abolished it for all crimes. Kyunghyang Shinmun also reported that the commission expressed support for abolition in 2005 and recommended joining the abolition protocol in 2018. [ 1 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The commission argued that the risk of irreversible judicial error must be central to the debate. It also said abolition discussions should consider victims' families and public safety while distinguishing those concerns from retaining state-imposed death as punishment.
Key facts
- The commission issued the appeal on October 10, the 24th World Day Against the Death Penalty. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 ]
- South Korea has not carried out an execution since December 30, 1997. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- The commission urged legislative and institutional review of abolition and discussion of joining the UN abolition protocol. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 7 ]
- The commission stressed that executions cannot be reversed and judicial errors must be considered. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The commission urged progress on death-penalty abolition discussions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- South Korea is approaching 30 years without executions since December 30, 1997. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
- The commission called for discussions on joining the UN death-penalty abolition protocol. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- No open questions in the coverage so far.