Taiwan's opposition party is reviving a push to introduce corporal punishment for four major crimes, including child abuse.

According to Taiwanese media on October 1, Hung Meng-kai, chief secretary of the Legislative Yuan caucus for the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), announced during a press conference at the legislature the previous day that he will propose a partial amendment to the Criminal Code containing these measures.

The draft amendment, set to be co-sponsored by Chief Secretary Hung, allows courts to sentence offenders to corporal punishment for four major crimes: child abuse resulting in death or serious injury, rape resulting in death or injury, major fraud involving criminal proceeds of 5 million Taiwan dollars (approx. 200 million won) or more, and death or serious injury accidents caused by driving under the influence of drugs.

According to the bill, courts can sentence offenders to 3 to 12 strokes of the cane. A physician's evaluation and written opinion are mandatory prior to the execution, and a doctor must be present during the procedure.

However, if an offender sentenced to corporal punishment has health issues, the execution can be suspended and replaced with a fixed-term imprisonment of one year or less.

Hsu Yu-chen, secretary-general of the KMT caucus in the Legislative Yuan, argued that just because corporal punishment is controversial, we must not ignore the suffering of the public or leave victims to shed tears alone on the grounds that reform is difficult.

Previously, the opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan passed a referendum proposal submitted by the KMT to introduce corporal punishment on August 14 with 52 votes in favor and 51 against.

However, Taiwan's Central Election Commission rejected the proposal on August 28, stating that the agenda did not comply with relevant regulations, ultimately causing the initiative to introduce corporal punishment to fall through.

While corporal punishment is currently considered cruel, inhuman, and degrading by most countries, it remains a legal form of punishment in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and several African nations.

Typically administered using a 1.2-meter-long rattan cane to strike the buttocks, the punishment causes pain severe enough to tear the skin from just a single stroke.

Being struck six times or more can cause individuals to faint from physical and mental shock, and in men, it can lead to impotence.

(Photo: Getty Images Korea)