respondents agreed5 to abolish the death penalty. However, 66.9% agreed that the death penalty would be abolished if a proper alternative penalty was introduced instead of the death penalty. 17. Even though Korea has now suspended execution of the death penalty, it needs to actively consider abolition of the death penalty and introduction of alternative penalties given the fact that; the international community such as the Committee (2017) and the UNHRC (2015) continued to recommend the abolition of the death penalty; violation of the right to life due to the death penalty is very significant and irreversible; the introduction of alternative penalties along with the abolition of the death penalty may be in accord with national sentiment as shown in the above survey. Questions 18. Please define your position on joining the “Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty” and present execution plan to official abolition of the death penalty and introduction of alternative penalties. Issue 4: Repeal or Amendment of National Security Act Status 19. There are concerns that article 7 of the “National Security Act” may violate basic human rights such as freedom of expression with its too vague and abstract stipulation. “Reports of the U.N. special rapporteur on human 5 An online survey was conducted on 1,000 citizens of the Republic of Korea. 9