"90% Support Life Imprisonment Without Parole"

Over 80% Across All Demographics Including Gender and Age
55% Identify 'Social Environment' as the Cause of Heinous Crimes

Amid growing social fear over a series of brutal crimes involving weapons, it has been revealed that 9 out of 10 citizens support the introduction of a 'life sentence without parole.'

9 out of 10 Citizens Agree on 'Life Sentence Without Parole'... Greater Sympathy Than Maintaining the Death Penalty

Choi Won-jong, the assailant involved in the stabbing incident at Seohyeon Station, is responding to reporters' questions as he leaves the detention center at Seongnam Sujeong Police Station on the morning of the 10th to be transferred to the prosecution, heading towards the transport vehicle. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

On the 11th, a survey conducted by Gallup Korea from the 8th to the 10th among 1,001 adults aged 18 and over nationwide showed that 87% supported the introduction of a 'life sentence without parole' for heinous crimes, while 9% opposed it.

Support for the 'life sentence without parole' exceeded 80% across all demographics, including region, gender, age, occupation, and ideological inclination. In particular, support surpassed 90% among those aged 18-29, those in their 40s, and self-employed individuals.

South Korea has not carried out any executions since 1997, effectively making it a country with a de facto moratorium on the death penalty. However, in six surveys conducted between 1994 and 2022, support for maintaining the death penalty consistently outweighed calls for its abolition. In a survey last July on whether to maintain or abolish the death penalty, 69% favored maintaining it, while 23% supported abolition.

Gallup analyzed that "the introduction of a life sentence without parole is forming a broader consensus than the maintenance of the death penalty."

'Fear of Becoming a Victim of Random Crimes' at 82%... Social Environment Cited as Cause of Heinous Crimes

Jeon Juhwan (32), the suspect in the "Sindang Station Stalking Murder Case," is being transferred to the prosecution after being released from Namdaemun Police Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, on September 21 last year. Jeon is accused of stabbing and killing A (28), a station staff member who joined Seoul Metro at the same time as him, inside the restroom at Sindang Station on Seoul Subway Line 2 on the 14th.

82% of respondents expressed concern about becoming victims of 'random crimes' that threaten unspecified masses, while 17% said they did not feel anxious. Notably, 63% of women responded that they were 'very worried,' showing greater anxiety than men (40%).

When asked about the causes of recent heinous crimes such as indiscriminate weapon attacks targeting unspecified individuals, 36% attributed it to the 'innate tendencies of the criminals,' while 55% pointed to the 'faulty social environment.'

Among progressives, more weight was given to social environment (66%) than individual tendencies (27%), whereas conservatives showed similar proportions in the mid-40% range for both.

Compared to past surveys in 2012 (individual tendencies 28%, social environment 70%) and 2015 (individual tendencies 24%, social environment 58%), the view attributing heinous crimes to 'individual tendencies' has increased.

Gallup explained, "This seems related to the recent expansion of public interest in criminal psychology and psychology, as well as the increase in broadcast and video content featuring criminals with antisocial personality disorder (psychopaths)."

Meanwhile, this public opinion survey was conducted via telephone interviews using randomly extracted virtual phone numbers provided by the three major mobile carriers. The sampling error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The overall response rate was 14.3%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.