Posted inQuestion about South Korea
Is death row legal in South Korea?
The death penalty is legal in South Korea, but it is rarely used with no executions carried out since 1997. The use of the death penalty requires approval from the President, and there are currently no inmates on death row. Supporters believe that it serves as a deterrent to crime and is necessary for justice to be served, while opponents argue that it violates human rights and can lead to wrongful convictions. South Korea is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits the use of the death penalty except in exceptional circumstances, and international pressure to abolish the death penalty remains high. Alternatives such as life imprisonment without parole are being explored.