Does South Korea have the death penalty?
Not used in practice
Retained in law, but not used for at least ten years.
South Korea is one of 23 countries classified “Not used in practice” for the death penalty — 12% of the 196 with data. (Also searched as capital punishment.)
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Capital punishment by country
- Last checked
- 15 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read directly from the source’s own table, without interpretation.
Nearby countries
- North Korea
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Japan
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Taiwan
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- China
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Mongolia
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Philippines
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
Other laws in South Korea
- School Corporal Punishment
- Banned
- Military Conscription
- Active conscription
- Jury Trials
- Limited use / mixed courts
Every law in South Korea → · Which countries have the death penalty? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.