Ministry of Justice Announces Legislative Notice for Introducing Life Imprisonment Without Parole

Ministry of Justice: "Trying to Fill the Death Penalty Gap Through 'Absolute Life Sentence'"

The Ministry of Justice has decided to introduce a new life imprisonment sentence without parole, an absolute life sentence.

The Ministry of Justice announced on the 11th that it plans to publicly propose this amendment to the Criminal Act from the 14th of this month until the 25th of next month.

The life sentence without parole (absolute life sentence) has been a subject of long-term discussion and review in our society alongside the death penalty, and it has been adopted in several advanced countries including the United States.

The Ministry of Justice revised the law to distinguish between life sentences that allow parole and those that do not, and when the court sentences a life imprisonment, it must also specify whether parole is permitted. Accordingly, parole will only be possible if the court sentences a life imprisonment that allows parole.

Since South Korea has not carried out any executions since December 1997, there has been a gap in the enforcement of sentences for heinous criminals, and concerns have been continuously raised that under current law, even those sentenced to life imprisonment can be eligible for parole after 20 years.

However, there are also arguments that the death penalty should be abolished because if a wrongful conviction is discovered late during investigation or trial after execution, it cannot be reversed. The Constitutional Court is currently conducting its third review on the constitutionality of abolishing the death penalty. In the previous two constitutional reviews, the court ruled the death penalty constitutional.

In response, the Ministry of Justice plans to fill the enforcement gap by introducing a life sentence without parole, separate from the current death penalty system, allowing for graduated punishment depending on the severity of heinous crimes such as murder.

Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, stated, "If a life sentence without parole is introduced, it can operate as an effective system to permanently isolate heinous criminals from society."

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