Section 2  Sentencing

1 Death penalty and life imprisonment with work

  Table 2-3-2-1 shows the number of defendants sentenced to death penalty or life imprisonment with work in the court of first instance by type of offense in the last decade.

Table 2-3-2-1  Number of defendants sentenced to death penalty or life imprisonment with work in the court of first instance, by type of offense (1998–2007)

  The sentencing of death penalty has been limited to homicide (excluding inducing or aiding suicide, homicide with consent, and preparations; hereinafter the same in this sub-section) or robbery causing death (including homicide at the scene of a robbery) during the last 10 years. In 2007, the percentage of death penalty was 1.7% (10 persons) for homicide and 5.6% (four persons) for robbery causing death of respective total convictions (Source: Annual Report of Judicial Statistics, General Secretariat of the Supreme Court).
  In 2007, the percentage of life imprisonment with work was 3.6% (21 persons) for homicide and 6.1% (44 persons) for “robbery causing death or injury and rape at the scene of robbery” of respective total convictions. The breakdown of “others” was two for arson, two for rape causing death or injury, two for kidnapping and buying or selling of human beings, one for Stimulants Control Act violation, one for Act on Special Provisions for Narcotics violation, and one for Act on the Punishment of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft violation (Source: Annual Report of Judicial Statistics, General Secretariat of the Supreme Court).