On Christmas Eve morning, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) held a "Hope for Death Row Inmates" event in front of the Seoul headquarters to encourage the public to continue pressuring the South Korean government to abolish death penalty. Sixty-four roses were given out to citizens during the event.
If no death sentence is executed before January 1, 2008, there will have been no death penalty executed in the Republic of Korea for the last ten years. This, by de facto, would make South Korea an abolitionist nation, according to standards set by Amnesty International. The Commission presented 64 roses to commemorate this milestone in Korean history—one rose for each prisoner current on death row in South Korea.
Among those who attended the commemoration ceremony were Chairperson AHN Kyong-Whan, Standing Commissioner CHOI Kyong-Suk, NHRCK Goodwill Ambassador CHUNG Myung-Hwa, Won Buddhist Clergyman and Secretary-General of the Won Buddhism Committee for Human Rights CHUNG Sang-Deok, Reverend and Chairperson of the Korean Christian Association for the Abolishment of the Death Penalty MUN Jang-Shik, Catholic nun CHO Seong-Ae and Buddhist monk and member of the Buddhist Human Rights Committee Hyun-Jong. The full transcript of Chairperson Ahn’s address for the abolishment of the death penalty is attached.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea was established in 2001, offering investigation and remedy services for Korean citizens and foreigners residing in Korea against human rights violations and discrimination. The Commission provides policy recommendations and remedial action against human rights infringements, collaborates with international human rights organizations and implements educational programs to improve the human rights culture.
