The European Union on Monday urged renewed global efforts to abolish the death penalty at a conference in Seoul, as South Korea continues to maintain a decadeslong moratorium on executions.
South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997 and is considered an "abolitionist in practice" by international human rights groups, although capital punishment remains legal.
The Seoul conference was held ahead of the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty, one of the largest international gatherings focused on abolition efforts.
Opening the conference, EU Ambassador to South Korea Ugo Astuto reiterated the bloc's longstanding position that capital punishment violates human rights and human dignity.
"The death penalty constitutes a serious violation of human rights and human dignity," Astuto said.
According to the EU, more than two-thirds of countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. The delegation said the trend replicates growing recognition that justice can be served without capital punishment.
"The EU will continue its long-standing campaign against the death penalty," the EU Delegation to South Korea said in a statement shared with The Korea Herald on Monday.
The delegation said it would continue supporting efforts by UN agencies, regional organizations and nongovernmental groups through advocacy, monitoring and technical cooperation, while working closely with civil society organizations.
Two panel discussions surveyed abolition trends across Asia, including North Korea, and ongoing legal and constitutional debates surrounding capital punishment in South Korea.
The EU Delegation to South Korea organized the conference in cooperation with the French Embassy, the International Commission against the Death Penalty, Human Asia and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com
