Restrictions on Abortion Pills Lifted... What Are the Rules for Minors?

[Anchor]

The government has officially announced that it will introduce abortion pills. Legal consumption is expected to become possible as early as the first quarter of next year. However, regarding whether parental consent will be required for minors, the government stated it will review the matter further.

Reporter Park Ha-jeong has the details.

[Reporter]

Seven years after the Constitutional Court ruled that punishing abortion was unconstitutional, the government has decided to introduce abortion pills.

Although alternative legislation has still not been enacted, the government stated that it can no longer overlook the threats to women's safety and health rights caused by the illegal distribution of drugs.

[Han Sung-sook / Prime Minister: So that women in need can receive treatment within a safe medical system without relying on unverified methods...]&br;
An application has already been filed for approval in South Korea for a drug with the same active ingredients as Mifepristone, an abortion pill permitted in 101 countries worldwide.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which has been reviewing the process, stated that it aims to introduce the drug 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 allow prescriptions for women within 9 weeks of pregnancy.

[Shin Jun-su / Director General for Pharmaceutical Safety, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: Because the (locally applied drug) was clinically tested on patients within 9 weeks, based on the clinical trial results...]&br;
As for pharmacies, because the punishment for the crime of abortion has not been abolished and to further enhance safety, hospitals will both prescribe and dispense the medication for the first two years.

There was no age criterion 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.

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 adolescence, we believe special psychological and emotional support will be necessary. We will ensure this is well reflected in the guidelines...]&br;
The government stated that it will review whether health insurance coverage will be applied if the pharmaceutical company submits an application.

Women's groups welcomed the move as a "meaningful step forward," while maintaining that women's access to the medication needs to be further expanded, such as by raising the gestational age limit. Meanwhile, religious groups argued that the protection of life must take priority and announced plans to file a lawsuit to cancel the drug approval.

(Video reporting: Cho Choon-dong, Video editing: Kim Ho-jin, Design: Kim Ye-ji)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.