Concerns have emerged regarding the lack of post-release monitoring for lifers granted parole.
According to data submitted by the Ministry of Justice to Rep. Seo Young-kyo of the Democratic Party, 151 inmates sentenced to life imprisonment have been paroled from 2017 to September of this year.
Of these, 144 individuals, or 95%, were convicted of murder-related crimes, including homicide, robbery resulting in death, and filicide. Five inmates were convicted of manslaughter, while one each was convicted of attempted robbery resulting in death and attempted murder. Notably, all 13 lifers paroled this year were convicted of murder.
Under current law, inmates serving life sentences can be paroled after serving 20 years and meeting certain criteria. However, there are no separate statistics available to track recidivism rates for these individuals after their release.
A Ministry of Justice official stated, "There are no specific statistics on the recidivism of lifers after parole; we only compile the overall recidivism rate for all paroled individuals."
According to the data provided to Rep. Seo, the overall recidivism rate for paroled individuals was 7.3% in 2018, 6.8% in 2019, 6.2% in 2020, 5.9% in 2021, and 7.4% in 2022. However, this statistic does not specifically reflect the recidivism rates of lifers.
As concerns about violent crime continue to grow, there are calls for the introduction of a de facto life sentence that does not allow for parole. Recent violent incidents, including a murder and kidnapping case in Songpa District and a random stabbing spree in Incheon, have sparked discussions about measures to prevent the return of violent offenders to society.
Rep. Seo has proposed a bill to amend the criminal law to introduce life sentences without parole by September 2024, citing the need for severe penalties for violent crimes. "There must be commensurate punishment for serious crimes," she said, adding that offenders with heinous crimes and little chance of rehabilitation should be permanently isolated from society.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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