ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Christians and Buddhists sign a joint declaration for the abolition of the death penalty: “We universally support the complete elimination of such extreme punishment that does not consider the sacredness of life.”

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - "Every life that has come into existence on this earth is sacred. The death penalty is for us 'murder' in the name of law and institution that artificially deprives a human being of his irreplaceable life.” This is the opening words of the text from a joint declaration for the abolition of the death penalty, signed by Christians and Buddhists in Korea, distributed by the Community of Sant'Egidio at the 8th World "Cities for Life, Cities Against the Death Penalty" celebrated on November 30. Korea, having not issued death sentences in the past twelve years, has abolished capital punishment de facto, but the statement affirms "now, nothing remains but its cancellation by law by the National Assembly. We universally support the complete elimination of such extreme punishment that does not consider the sacredness of life.”
After recalling the solemn pronouncements of the United Nations and European Union for the abolition of the death penalty, the signatories of the document emphasized: "South Korea should feel a strong sense of responsibility in participating in this abolitionist current of the international community, as it is a member of the Council for Human Rights United Nations." As it has been amply demonstrated that the death penalty has no effect on crime prevention, it is grieving that "there is still debate over the use of the death penalty and a resumption of executions, every time a violent crime occurs.” The Declaration stresses that those who commit such a cruel crime should be punished severely as the law requires. "We also need the effort of society to prevent crimes, and offer the possibility of a sincere atonement and an awakening of the consciences even of those who are guilty of a violent crime."
The statement concluded with an appeal to the government, "that they may no longer talk of resumption of executions and make more efforts to abolish the death penalty," and to the National Assembly, that it may commit itself to approving in current legislature "the special abolitionist law that has already been proposed in the last three legislatures."
The text was signed in Seoul on November 26, by the President of the Bishops' Conference of Korea, Bishop Peter Kang U-il, for the Catholic Church; signing for other Christian churches was Rev. O-Seong Kwon (Secretary General of the National Council of Churches of Korea); for Buddhists, by the Venerable Ji Kwan (Chairman of the Jogye Order) and Rev. Won Seong-Taek Lee (Secretary General). (SL) (Agenzia Fides 1/12/2009)