Right to die with dignity

[Anchor]

A man in his 70s, who killed his terminally ill wife, has recently been sentenced to seven years in prison.

The man stated that he wanted to relieve his wife's suffering.

On average, sixteen people end their lives each year due to such caregiver-assisted deaths.

More than half of these cases are committed by family members.

As the term "caregiver's hell" emerges in our super-aged society, interest in assisted dying is also growing.

Assisted dying refers to terminal patients ending their lives through methods such as drug injection according to their own wishes.

A survey has shown that more than eight out of ten citizens support its legalization.

Some even travel to Switzerland in search of the right to die with dignity.

Reporter Jin Sun-min has the story.

[Report]

The late Cho Soon-bok suffered from breast cancer that had metastasized to her bones, enduring pain that felt like being stabbed with a knife.

Her family could not dissuade her from her wish to escape the suffering.

[Cho Soon-bok/Alive in July 2023: "Everyone has to go eventually. Don't be too sad, just cry a little."]

Cho ultimately decided to end her life in Switzerland, where assisted dying is allowed for foreigners.

Her daughter also accompanied her mother on her final journey after going through a complicated application process.

[Nam Yu-ha/Family of an assisted dying patient in Switzerland: "If we had such a system in our country, she could have comfortably faced her last moments surrounded by family members at home, instead of having to go all the way to Switzerland..."]

Lee Myung-sik, who was diagnosed with incurable myelitis five years ago, filed a constitutional complaint, claiming that the lack of assisted dying in South Korea infringes on his basic rights.

[Choi Da-hye/President of the Korean Association for Dying with Dignity/Support for Constitutional Lawsuit: "There are pains that cannot be resolved just by making decisions about life-sustaining treatment and hospice care. Those individuals should also be given options; that is true self-determination..."]

The government submitted its opinion to the Constitutional Court, stating that there is no infringement of basic rights.

It argued that allowing assisted dying could lead to a disregard for life and that a social consensus has not been formed.

In addition to the constitutional complaint trial, a bill for assisted dying has also been proposed in the National Assembly.

With strong opposition from religious and medical communities, there is a pressing need for social discussion regarding the right to die with dignity.

This is KBS News, Jin Sun-min.

[Anchor]

▲Western societies grappling with the 'legalization of death'... Controversial 'assisted dying capsule' ▲

Western societies have been struggling with the right to choose death for a long time.

Some countries have allowed assisted dying or euthanasia for quite some time, and the number of countries joining this 'legalization of death' is increasing.

However, legal and ethical debates continue.

Next, reporter Ahn Da-young reports.

[Report]

A woman in her 20s from the Netherlands chose euthanasia after suffering from mental illness her entire life.

The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia in 2001.

It allows both euthanasia, where a doctor directly administers drugs to the patient, and assisted dying, where the patient self-administers prescribed drugs.

Belgium is in a similar situation, having legalized euthanasia for minors as well since 2014.

Switzerland, which has long allowed assisted dying, is the only country in the world that accepts assisted dying for foreigners.

Recently, a capsule has been developed that allows a person to enter, press a button, and die within five minutes from nitrogen gas.

[Florian Willet/Co-Director of Assisted Dying Capsule Support Group: "I pretty much believe that it's like falling asleep at night in your own bed when you're seeking your dreams."]

Opinions on this device are divided, with some viewing it as a means to help achieve a dignified death, while others criticize it for promoting death too easily, leading to controversy.

In recent years, several Western countries have been moving towards allowing assisted dying or euthanasia.

In the UK, a bill to legalize assisted dying passed the House of Commons at the end of last year, and France is also pushing for the legalization of assisted dying.

However, debates continue in European society regarding the extent of self-determination over death, and whether euthanasia is appropriate for patients with dementia who lack judgment.

This is KBS News, Ahn Da-young, from Paris.