South Korea Upholds the Death Penalty
- 14 years ago
South Korea’s Constitutional Court upheld the death penalty on Thursday.
Outside the court, a few civic and religious group members held a peaceful rally, condemning the decision.
[Reverend Jeong Sang-bok, Protester]:
"Nobody can deprive human beings of their lives on the basis of ideology, system or laws!"
The last time capital punishment took place in South Korea was 13 years ago.
Soon after, the death penalty was up for national debate and led to a moratorium.
A fisherman who had been convicted of killing four tourists at sea in 2007 brought the appeal to the Constitutional Court, saying the capital punishment infringed on the constitutional guarantee of human dignity.
The late former President Kim Dae-jung led a steady call for the abolishment of capital punishment. He had at one time been sentenced to death for treason under a military ruler but had his sentence commuted. He later served as president from 1998 to 2003.
Outside the court, a few civic and religious group members held a peaceful rally, condemning the decision.
[Reverend Jeong Sang-bok, Protester]:
"Nobody can deprive human beings of their lives on the basis of ideology, system or laws!"
The last time capital punishment took place in South Korea was 13 years ago.
Soon after, the death penalty was up for national debate and led to a moratorium.
A fisherman who had been convicted of killing four tourists at sea in 2007 brought the appeal to the Constitutional Court, saying the capital punishment infringed on the constitutional guarantee of human dignity.
The late former President Kim Dae-jung led a steady call for the abolishment of capital punishment. He had at one time been sentenced to death for treason under a military ruler but had his sentence commuted. He later served as president from 1998 to 2003.