South Korea death penalty

South Korea executed 19 people last year, all by the preferred method of hanging.

Those who are sentenced wear white cloth bags over their heads as they are taken to the gallows, Choo Kyung-kwan of Amnesty International's Seoul office said.

Most of the executions were carried out in Seoul and Taegu prisons.

The London-based human rights group regularly protests against the executions, which it says are inhumane.

The 19 sentenced last year were convicted of murder. Among them were seven members of a gang called Chi Chon Pa who killed and incinerated all their victims.