After interviewing 42 death row inmates, researcher believes capital punishment should end
Every weekday before 1997, death row inmates in Korea braced themselves between 6 and 9 a.m. — the hours when executions could happen. If 9 a.m. passed uneventfully, they felt relief. Then they went to sleep wondering if the next morning would be their last. No one has been executed since Dec. 30, 1997, but 56 people remain on death row — 52 in Ministry of Justice correctional facilities and four…
For decades, death row inmates in South Korea endured the constant dread of execution between 6 and 9 a.m. each weekday. The prospect of a grim fate weighed heavily on their minds, leading to a sense of both relief and anxiety as the day progressed. Despite the morbid daily routine, no executions have taken place since December 30, 1997.
However, 56 individuals remain on death row, comprising 52 at Ministry of Justice correctional facilities and four in military prisons. Kim Dae-keun, a researcher at the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice, conducted interviews with 42 of these inmates. Most of them expressed shame, distress, or regret over their actions.
Kim shared his observations with The Korea Times, noting that the individuals he met in prison seemed aged, frail, and far removed from the brutal and frightening figures he had once imagined committing such heinous acts. October 10 commemorates World Day Against the Death Penalty, an annual observance advocating for the abolition of capital punishment.
In Korea, the day holds significance despite the continued existence of the death penalty on the books, yet its enforceability is widely considered unenforceable. Most inmates now hold the belief that executions will not resume, reflecting a changing perspective on this controversial judicial practice.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
