Amnesty International report on status of death penalty in Korea

[Photo Captured from Amnesty Korea]

On the 28th, Amnesty International released it’s anuual report on the present status of the death penalty.

Korea currently has 61 inmates on death row; However, for the past 14 years, not one execution was carried out. Therefore, in its most recent report, Amnesty International classified Korea as a country which has abolished the death penalty. Munhwa Ilbo reported that the trend towards abolishing the death penalty continues, but debate continues to swell up each time a heinous crime occurs.

Furthermore, Yonhap News wrote that “Last year in North Korea, in accordance with domestic law, more than 60 people were executed, but that on occasion, the death penalty was given out even for crimes which it does not apply to.” North Korea, as well as Iran and Saudi Arabia, are the only countries, which continue to carry out public executions.

Translated by Steven Wilson