Photo : YONHAP News
The government is moving to introduce abortion pills in South Korea, but medical groups have raised concerns over the lack of a legal framework and adequate safety measures.
According to the government on Wednesday, an abortion medication is currently under review by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for import approval and use for up to 63 days into a pregnancy, or nine weeks.
The Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology expressed regret that the medication is being introduced in the absence of legislation to address the legal vacuum since the Constitutional Court’s 2019 ruling that the abortion law was unconstitutional, saying a legal framework should come first.
The Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also stressed the need for legal revisions to ensure patient safety and protect medical professionals from potential legal liability, but said it doesn’t oppose the introduction of abortion medication in principle.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to require doctors to prescribe and dispense abortion pills directly for the first two years, before gradually expanding its use following reviews of its safety and side effects.
The oral abortion medication, commonly known by the brand name Mifegyne, was first approved in France in 1988 and was used in around 100 countries as of 2024, while the World Health Organization has listed it as an essential medicine.