Government to Phase in Abortion Medication; PM Han Says "It Is to Protect Public Health"

The South Korean government is pushing for the phased introduction of medical abortion pills.

The government discussed this plan for introducing abortion medication during a National Policy Coordination Meeting held today (September 16) at the Government Complex Seoul, chaired by Prime Minister Han Sung-sook.

For the initial two years of introduction, the government will operate the system through in-hospital prescriptions and dispensing by physicians.

Abortion medication will be added to the list of exceptions to the system separating drug prescribing and dispensing.

Along with this, the government plans to foster a safe environment for drug use by supporting the medical community in establishing voluntary clinical guidelines.

"If a problem has gone unresolved for a long time, we must find a solution that fits today's reality, and even for matters that recur every year, we must find ways to do better than the year before," Prime Minister Han emphasized. "Especially when it comes to the public's health and safety, we must not wait until after a problem arises to take action."

She continued, "Following the Constitutional Court's 2019 ruling that the criminalization of abortion was non-conforming to the Constitution, an institutional vacuum has persisted, and in reality, some women are resorting to hazardous methods. We can no longer leave this issue unattended amid disputes over pros and cons."

"Doing so ultimately overlooks the lives and safety of our people," she explained, adding, "As the President also mentioned in July, there was an urgent need to establish a safe and realistic solution."

Prime Minister Han specifically stressed, "We intend to discuss a phased introduction plan for pregnancies of up to nine weeks. For the initial two years, both prescribing and dispensing will take place in hospitals, and after that, once the necessary conditions are established, a plan will be put in place to transition and expand to a system of physician prescriptions and pharmacy dispensing."

"What matters most is safety," she noted, calling for measures so that "women in need can receive care within a safe healthcare system without relying on unverified methods."

Addressing opposition to the rollout, Prime Minister Han said, "We also take concerns regarding the value of life heavily. Rather than encouraging artificial termination of pregnancy, this measure is intended to protect the public's health.

We ask for your broad understanding of this intent."

The government plans to swiftly pursue amendments to the Mother and Child Health Act and the Criminal Act to resolve the legislative vacuum.


Safety management measures for the upcoming Chuseok holiday were also discussed at today's meeting.

"The Chuseok holiday begins next week," Prime Minister Han highlighted. "While we implement safety management measures every Chuseok, now is the time to examine whether there are changing conditions and emerging threats."

She further explained, "The government will inspect major risk factors by sector in advance and operate a 24-hour situation management system throughout the holiday period. We will also step up patrols and policing in areas with high concentrations of single-person households who are not traveling to their hometowns."

Meanwhile, the government will operate a special epidemic prevention period from October to February 2027, focusing all efforts on preventing the spread of livestock infectious diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI).

To curb highly pathogenic AI, the government will conduct early surveys of migratory bird habitats and establish a three-stage quarantine system to block the introduction of the virus to farms.

For foot-and-mouth disease, advance vaccinations will be carried out in high-risk areas, including border regions, to prepare against the domestic influx of new strains.

"We will implement a pre-registration system for vehicles and personnel entering and exiting, focusing on large-scale farms that significantly affect the supply of items like eggs, and starting next year, we will introduce artificial intelligence technology into farm quarantine," Prime Minister Han stated, announcing that epidemic prevention measures will be pursued proactively.
 
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.