South Korea Executes 19 Death Row Inmates

Nineteen death-row inmates were hanged Thursday. Seventeen had been convicted of murder, while the remaining two were convicted of multiple counts of robbery.

The executions - at four prisons in Seoul, Pusan, Taegu and Kwangju - were the first in South Korea in 13 months.

The sentences were carried out to show “the government’s firm stance against criminals,” the Justice Ministry said.