South Korea
© JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images
Overview
Among other important court proceedings, in a historic step for women’s rights, the Constitutional Court ruled that criminalization of abortion was unconstitutional. An alternative to military service was enacted after the Constitutional Court’s decision in 2018. At the end of the year, the Constitutional Court was again discussing the death penalty. Article 92-6 of the Military Criminal Act, which the UN and some member states had recommended be repealed, was still in effect. Under this law, LGBTI people in the military were subjected to discrimination and stigmatization and faced violence and harassment due to the criminalization of consensual sex between adult men.
Death penalty status
Abolitionist in practice
Retains the death penalty in law, but hasn’t executed for at least 10 years
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Kevin Darling
East Asia Press Officer, +852 6026 3992 kevin.darling@amnesty.org
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