ASIA/KOREA - Commission for the Abolition of the Death Penalty will increase its efforts

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - The Commission for the Abolition of Capital Punishment set up by the Catholic Bishops of Korea will strengthen and extend its activity co-operating with other organisations as well as increasing pastoral care and support for the condemned persons and their families. At a recent meeting the members of the Commission decided to start collaboration with national and international human rights groups and to work to increase public awareness on this issue working side by side with similar organisations sponsored by other religions.
Recognising the importance of international solidarity, this year the Commission will attend a Congress for the Abolition of Capital Punishment in Taiwan and in 2005 it will organise in Seoul a Congress on “the death penalty and respect for human life”. The members of the Commission also decided to pressure the National Assembly to institute a special legislators commission to present a new bill since discussion on a law for the abolition of the death penalty is said to be impossible at the moment. Within the Church the Commission intends to build a network of diocesan commissions to promote prayer meetings and other initiatives to help the prisoners and their families. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 2/3/2004; Righe 17; Parole 217)