On January 1, 2008, the government of the Republic of Korea will grant special amnesty to six death-row inmates and commute their sentences to life imprisonment. From a humanitarian perspective, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) hails the government's action for the six condemned criminals, who deeply repent of their crimes and are highly reformed.
No execution has occurred in the Republic of Korea since the execution of 23 inmates on December 30, 1997, just over ten years ago. Accordingly, it became a de facto abolitionist nation acknowledged by Amnesty International on December 30, 2007. This is a very meaningful event in the history of human rights in the country, but some 50 death-row inmates remain.
In April 2005, the NHRCK expressed its opinion to the National Assembly that "capital punishment should be abrogated because it infringes upon intrinsic elements of the right to life." Now, the NHRCK expects that the legislative body will go a step further to put capital punishment to a complete end. Although Amnesty International classifies the Republic of Korea as a de facto abolitionist nation, its laws including the Criminal Act still contain provisions providing for the death penalty.
A special bill to abolish capital punishment was initially proposed before the fifteenth National Assembly in December 1999 by over 90 lawmakers. In October 2001, 155 lawmakers introduced a similar bill to the sixteenth National Assembly, and 175 lawmakers did so again in December 2004 to the seventeenth National Assembly. Although a majority of members of the National Assembly signed the bill in the sixteenth term and seventeenth term, it remains pending.
The NHRCK sincerely hopes that the Republic of Korea will become a leading nation with respect to human rights both legally and institutionally with the passage of the bill calling for abolishment of the death penalty.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea was established in 2001 to promote human rights education and defend those who have experienced discrimination, or have had a right violated, in Korea. The Commission offers counseling, full investigation and protection for citizens, along with educational initiatives for organizations.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea was established in 2001 to promote human rights education and defend those who have experienced discrimination, or have had a right violated, in Korea. The Commission offers counseling, full investigation and protection for citizens, along with educational initiatives for organizations.
