Controversy surrounding the Swiss ‘assisted suicide capsule’

[Anchor]

The so-called 'assisted suicide' capsule that allows a person to die within five minutes just by pressing a button...

It was first used in Switzerland over a month ago, resulting in the death of a woman in her 60s from the United States.

Switzerland is a country that broadly allows assisted suicide, but there is intense controversy regarding the use of this capsule.

Why is that? Our correspondent Song Rak-kyu reports.

[Report]

A man in his 70s is sitting in a wheelchair, attached to an oxygen breathing device.

This man, a terminal cancer patient suffering from heart disease, has been preparing for 'assisted death' for the past four years.

[Jackie Gabados/Assisted Death Applicant: "It's not something new; I've been thinking about it for a long time. I should also mention that I've lost my spouse. So, it made the decision easier."]

His children expressed their respect for their father's wishes but could not hide their complicated feelings.

[Christoph Gabados/Son of Assisted Death Applicant: "The difficult part is that my father knows the date and time of his passing in advance."]

Switzerland is one of the countries where physician-assisted suicide is possible, and is the only country that allows foreigners to undergo assisted suicide as well.

Although assisted deaths are carried out frequently, with about 1,500 people choosing it each year, intense debate arose when a woman in her 60s from the United States died using the assisted dying capsule over a month ago.

This was due to the arbitrary selection of candidates, and the use of nitrogen gas injection in the capsule instead of the existing method of drug infusion.

[Erika Preisig/Director and Physician of Assisted Death Support Organization 'Lifecircle': "(Regarding the assisted suicide capsule's) nitrogen gas, we cannot know what happens. Whether the person is suffering or not."]

The Swiss Medical Association has recently strengthened guidelines to ensure that individuals must have two consultations with a physician before undergoing assisted suicide.

The organization behind the assisted suicide capsule has temporarily suspended its use as operators are under investigation, but they have reported that 371 people have applied to use it so far.

The controversy surrounding the assisted suicide capsule is expected to continue.

This is Song Rak-kyu reporting from Bern, Switzerland for KBS News.