Hong Jun-pyo "In a World Overrun by Heinous Criminals... Death Sentences Must Be Enforced"

"The Law Should Only Protect the Right to Life That Is Worth Protecting"

Hong Jun-pyo, the mayor of Daegu, stated, "To protect our citizens from a world rampant with heinous criminals, the execution of confirmed death row inmates must be carried out in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Act."

On the 8th, Mayor Hong wrote on Facebook, "The law should only protect the right to life that is worth protecting."

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu. Daegu City

Mayor Hong said, "Opponents of the death penalty claim to respect the right to life of death row inmates, but isn't the brutal violation of the people's right to life committed by them a right that should be respected?" He emphasized, "A society that claims the right to life even for heinous criminals who have rejected being human only causes confusion and disorder, and similar heinous crimes continue to be repeated."

He added that the United States, Japan, and China carry out executions every year. He explained, "Just because the U.S. and Japan carry out executions annually does not mean those countries are backward in human rights," and "Currently, there are about 60 confirmed death row inmates, including heinous criminals such as Kang Ho-soon and Yoo Young-chul."

Meanwhile, Mayor Hong announced at an executive meeting held the previous day that he plans to hold a retirement ceremony on the 11th to run for president. He emphasized, "Please ensure that major ongoing projects in Daegu, such as the construction of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport, are well managed with the administrative vice mayor at the center," and expressed his intention to personally oversee key projects by saying, "I will do my best to seize the opportunity to directly manage core projects," indicating that he will take care of regional issues if elected president.