ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - South Korea death penalty “abolitionist de facto” if this year ends with no execution having been carried out

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - Awareness campaigns promoted by the local Catholic Church, other religious communities, civil associations, and the media with regard to the need to abolish the death penalty, have brought good results and South Korea will be an 'abolitionist de facto' if this year closes without any execution which will mean that there have been no executions in the country for ten years.
Capital punishment is still envisaged by Korean law but the decision to have recourse to life imprisonment for grave crimes is a first step towards an official moratorium and the abolition of the death penalty according to human rights organisations which have been campaigning for years in Korea for the abolition of capital punishment.
The Korean Catholic Bishops Conference's own Commission for the Abolition of Capital Punishment has organised a series of events and a campaign to celebrate a decade without state killings which will be completed at the end of 2007. On the occasion of World Anti Death Penalty Day on 10 October in collaboration with human rights groups and associations, pro-life groups the Commission has planned a demonstration to proclaim South Korea 'abolitionist de facto' and to call for capital punishment to be abrogated from Korean Law.
Another date to promote awareness is 30 November which the World Coalition against Capital Punishment has proclaimed "City Day against the Death Penalty”, on which many capitals all over the world will illuminate important city monuments. Special prayers and cultural events such as seminars and meetings will be organised in many parts of Korea. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 11/9/2007 righe 25 parole 259)