South Korea's De Facto Abolition of the Death Penalty

While Asia remains an exception to the global trend towards the abolition of capital punishment, South Korea has suspended executions for the past ten years. The purpose of this article is to explain the change in South Korea's death penalty practice, which is largely associated with democratic development and the observance of international human rights standards. Who are the leading figures in constructing and advancing abolitionist discourse and efforts in South Korean society? What are the major rationales for their advocacy? What significance does the possibility of South Korea's formal abolition have in terms of Asia's ongoing practice of the death penalty? This article seeks answers to these questions, highlighting South Korea's recent abolitionist movement.