Government Pushes to Introduce Abortion Pills for Pregnancies Up to 9 Weeks

[Anchor]

Seven years after the Constitutional Court's ruling of non-conformity to the Constitution regarding the punishment for the crime of abortion, the government is pushing for the official introduction of abortion pills. The use of the medication is expected to be authorized as early as next year for pregnancies up to 9 weeks.

Reporter Jeong Banseok has the details.

[Reporter]
The government held a national policy coordination meeting today (16th) and announced that it will officially pursue the introduction of abortion pills.

This comes 7 years after the Constitutional Court ruled that punishing the crime of abortion is unconstitutional.

[Han Sung-sook / Prime Minister: Moving forward, we intend to discuss a plan to phase in medical abortion pills targeting pregnancies of 9 weeks or less.]

Meanwhile, abortion pills such as Mifegyne have failed to receive government approval on the grounds that alternative legislation has not been enacted, forcing women to rely on dangerous medications.

[Cabinet Meeting (last July): By leaving it outside the law, the government might evade responsibility, but the public is put at risk.]

The Ministry of Government Legislation opened the way for introduction last month by issuing an interpretation that abortion pills can be authorized even before a law amendment.

The government plans to allow the use of abortion pills limited to early pregnancies of 9 weeks or less. For the first two years, prescription and dispensing will take place together at hospitals, after which it will be expanded to a system where doctors prescribe and pharmacies dispense.

According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, as of 2024, oral abortion pills are permitted in 101 countries worldwide.

[Won Min-kyung / Minister of Gender Equality and Family: This is significant in that it improves upon the situation where a practical state management system was absent after the abolition of the crime of abortion, and ensures that abortions can be performed more safely under the national medical system.]

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated that it will thoroughly review the safety, efficacy, and quality of abortion pills and do its utmost to introduce the medication within the first quarter of next year.

(Video Editing: Kim Ho-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.