President Lee Discusses 'Life Imprisonment Without Parole' Amid Spate of Heinous Crimes

Pan-Government Meeting on Building an Ultra-Safe Society Held at Blue House on Oct. 23
Justice Ministry: "Heinous criminals must be permanently isolated from society"
Lee listens as he seeks views, including on whether the Criminal Act needs to be a

President Lee Jae-myung discussed a plan on Oct. 23 to introduce life imprisonment without parole for heinous offenders.

Kang Yoo-jung, senior presidential secretary for public communication, said in a written briefing that day that President Lee had received a report from the Ministry of Justice on a plan to introduce life imprisonment without parole at a pan-governmental response meeting for an ultra-safe society.

President Lee Jaemyung speaks at a meeting of senior secretaries and aides at the Blue House on Oct. 22, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

At the meeting, the Ministry of Justice explained that the measure was necessary to permanently isolate heinous offenders from society and protect the human rights of victims and their bereaved families. Cho Won-cheol, minister of government legislation, also voiced his support, saying, "What victims fear most is that the perpetrators will eventually be released decades later," and calling it "an effective response to replace the death penalty." President Lee carefully examined whether the system would require amendments to the Criminal Act and listened to the ministries' views.

Following the recent life sentence handed down to Jang Yungi, who murdered a female high school student, calls have emerged for the introduction of life imprisonment without parole. Under current law, people sentenced to life imprisonment may become eligible for parole after 20 years. At a National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit on Oct. 20, lawmakers also argued that a ban on parole is not binding and that discussions on amending the law are needed.

The Korean National Police Agency also reported that it would adopt a policy of "a comprehensive response that shifts the focus from measures for victims to managing and preventing perpetrators." It said it would establish a "Safety Patrol Unit," deploy a large number of personnel, and patrol areas around crime victims' homes. It also said it would consider operating facilities to isolate perpetrators, prioritizing their separation from the home, rather than requiring victims to flee domestic violence.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare reported that it would significantly strengthen the mental health emergency response system for people with mental illnesses who pose a risk of harming themselves or others. To this end, it plans to introduce a "public transport team" comprising police officers, firefighters, and mental health professionals. It also said it would establish a National Suicide Response Office and strengthen the functions of mental health and welfare centers to focus on case management for people with mental illnesses.

President Lee Jae-myung speaks at a meeting with senior secretaries and aides at Cheong Wa Dae on Oct. 22, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said it would swiftly introduce an "intimate partner violence death review system" to develop measures to prevent recurrence through case analyses of deaths, and would step up efforts to compile statistics on intimate partner violence. President Lee urged the ministry to "develop an effective plan, given that it is the lead ministry."

The Ministry of Education said it would identify and support students in emotional and behavioral crises and build an ultra-safe society that protects citizens and socially vulnerable people through education on building positive relationships.

President Lee instructed officials to "separately report on the details and operation of the crime victim compensation system, which provides payments to victims," and added, "Unlike other illnesses, mental illness can affect other people's lives as well, so I hope support for treatment costs will be increased."

Kang said, "Among the tasks discussed today, the government plans to prioritize those closely related to public safety that can be pursued immediately regardless of laws and budgets, so they can be completed by the end of the year."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.