Justice Minister Lo Ying-shay says that there are no plans to abolish the death penalty in Taiwan.
Lo was responding to questions from reporters Tuesday, four days after a deadly attack at a Taipei elementary school. On May 28, a man identified as Kung Chung-an allegedly entered Wenhua Elementary School in Taipei and randomly attacked an eight-year-old student. The student died of her wounds.
Kung later turned himself in to the police. The attack has reignited the debate on the death penalty in Taiwan.
Lo declined to answer questions about whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty in Kung’s case, saying only that the attack has left the public outraged.
Asked about whether Kung’s voluntary surrender to police could lead to a lighter sentence, Lo said that the severity of the crime means that the judge responsible for the case will not necessarily reduce Kung’s sentence.