this is progress and human rights (law bill for abolition of death penalty)

Lawmaker Yoo In-tae (Uri) has prepared a law bill for the abolition of death penalty, and he has gotten signatures from 150 (Hankyoreh) or 151 (Chosun) lawmakers, which already makes a majority. (Of these, 113 are from Uri, 21 from GNP, 10 from DLP, 5 from Minju, 1 nonaffiliated.) The bill will be introduced in early December. In 2001 a similar bill did not make it past the Legislation committee despite of having the support of majority of the lawmakers. Chosun Ilbo asked the 15 members of the committee about their stand in the issue, and 10 were for the abolition and five against; the problem (for the abolitionist's point) is that the committee chair is against the abolition. (from Chosun Ilbo and Hankyoreh) From today's Hankyoreh leader we learn that representative Yoo who prepared the bill has once been in death row himself. This is a chance for the Korean lawmakers to show where ROK belongs to in this world. Update. See also Oranckay for the same subject. He reminds that no death sentences have been carried out since the inauguration of Kim Dae-jung as president, since both him and Roh Moo-hyun have not approved any executions. The last executions, was it more than 20 at once, were carried out in the last moment of Kim Young-sam regime, in order "not to transfer the burden to the next government" if I remember correctly. (Wed Nov, 24: The latter name corrected to Kim Young-sam) Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: Koreansociety • deathpenalty