[Anchor]
The government has officially announced plans to introduce abortion pills. Legal use is expected to become possible as early as next year, but whether minors will require parental consent is a matter that will be further reviewed.
Reporter Park Ha-jeong has the story.
[Reporter]
Seven years after the Constitutional Court ruled that criminalizing abortion was unconstitutional, the government has decided to introduce abortion pills.
Although alternative legislation has still not been enacted, the decision stems from the view that the infringement on women's safety and health rights caused by illicit drug distribution can no longer be ignored.
[Han Sung-sook / Prime Minister: So that women in need can receive treatment within a safe medical system without relying on unverified methods....]
Drugs containing the same active ingredient as "Mifegyne," an abortion pill permitted in 101 countries worldwide, have already been applied for approval in South Korea.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which has been reviewing the applications, stated that it is targeting introduction in the first quarter of next year, taking into account the time needed to secure supplies.
While the World Health Organization states that abortion pills can be used up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, South Korea plans to permit prescriptions for women within 9 weeks of pregnancy.
[Shin Jun-su / Director General for Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: Because (the domestically applied drug) was clinically tested on patients within 9 weeks, based on the clinical trial results....]
Because criminal penalties for abortion have not been abolished and to further enhance safety, hospitals will both prescribe and dispense the medication for the first two years.
There were no age criteria specified when the pharmaceutical company applied for approval of the abortion pill.
Consequently, minors are expected to be able to receive prescriptions, but it has not yet been decided whether parental consent will be mandatory for prescriptions.
The government's stance is that it will carefully review the matter while examining the overall youth protection system and other factors.
[Won Min-kyung / Minister of Gender Equality and Family: In the case of adolescents, we believe that special psychological and emotional support will be necessary. We will ensure this is well reflected in the guidelines....]
The government stated that it will review whether national health insurance coverage will be applied once the pharmaceutical company submits an application.
Women's groups welcomed the move as a "meaningful step forward," while asserting that women's access to the medication needs to be further expanded, such as by raising the gestational age limit. Meanwhile, religious circles argued that the protection of life must take priority and announced plans to file a lawsuit seeking the cancellation of the drug approval.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
Reported by Cho Choon-dong | Video by Kim Ho-jin | Graphics by Yeji
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