Korea Herald

KOREA: Korea executed 101 people between 1987-1997

A research report yesterday revealed an annual average of 9.2 prisoners were put to death between 1987 and 1997.

According to the report, between 1987 and 1997 the state carried out 101 executions. The last state-sponsored killing occurred December 23, 1997.

The report, compiled by Sunchon National University Professor Kim In-seon and Lecturer Han Yong-sun, was published in the August issue of "Correction," a journal of the Correctional Bureau of the Ministry of Justice.

South Korea has suspended its practice of executions since President Kim Dae-jung took office in 1998.

A disproportionately large fraction of those executed during the period were poorly educated. 6 had no formal schooling, 40 (39.6 %) received only an elementary school education and 30 (29.7 %) finished only middle school.

By contrast, not one college graduate was put to death during the period, and 24.8 % of those killed (25 people) were high school graduates.

 63 of the executed (62.4 percent) were unemployed. 7 were manual workers, 5 farmers and 5 drivers. A mere 3 convicts were white-collar workers.

 Homicide topped the list of charges, with 43 put to death for murder, followed by burglary and murder (35), kidnapping and murder (9), murder of a parent or other ascendant (7).

 Women accounted for only 6 of those executed, the report said.

 Youth were more likely to have their death sentences enacted. 44 of those executed were age 20 to 30. There were 41 prisoners age 31 to 40, while only 11 were age 41 to 50.