인질범죄의 처벌에 관한 형사법상 제규정의 검토

A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. In modern days, it means someone who is seized by a criminal abductor in order to compel another party such as a relative, employer or government to act, or refrain from acting, in a particular way, often under threat of serious physical harm to the hostage(s) after expiration of an ultimatum. A party which seizes hostages is known as hostage-taker. Taking hostages is today considered a crime or a terrorist act. Hostage taking is still often politically motivated or intended to raise a ransom or to enforce an exchange against other hostages or even condemned convicts. It will not pay ransom, release prisoners, change its policies, or agree to other acts that might encourage additional terrorism. Under Korea Criminal Law, any person who arrests, confines, captures or entices another person as hostage, and interferes with exercise of right by a third person, or makes one do any unobliged work, shall be punished by imprisonment for definite term of three or more years. But if a person who has committed the hostage crime or who has attempt the crime, releases the hostage to a safe place, the punishment may be mitigated. And any person who arrests, confines, captures or entices another person as hostage, and acquires any property or benefits to property, or has a third person acquire them, shall be punished by imprisonment for definite term of three or more years. The Republic of Korea must seeks effective judicial prosecution and punishment for terrorists and criminals victimizing the Korea Government or its citizens and use all legal methods to these ends, including extradition. However, Korean Law is not adequate to crack down on hostage-taking effectively. In order to contribute a help to prevent of hostage crime, Korean Criminal Law has to be somewhat revised and the international cooperation in criminal justice has to be more closely fixed.