Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong emphasized the need to address the legal void regarding abortion laws and stated that she would consider introducing abortion (termination) medication.
On the 27th, Minister Jeong responded to a question from People Power Party lawmaker Jo Bae-suk regarding abortion laws at the Special Committee on Budget & Accounts, saying, "Since the constitutional incompatibility decision, the Criminal Act and the Mother and Child Health Act have not been amended, leading to safety issues."
Currently, it is illegal to prescribe or use abortion medication in the country. The Constitutional Court decided on constitutional incompatibility regarding abortion laws in 2019 and demanded alternative legislation by the following year; however, the legal void has persisted.
As a result, issues arose concerning the illegal distribution of abortion medications such as Mifegyne, which induces miscarriage and is used within the first 50 days of pregnancy, via social media, leading to ongoing debates over the legalization of abortion medication. The recently announced five-year national management plan includes the legalization of abortion medication.
In this regard, Minister Jeong explained, "(The national project) has not yet been finalized and is scheduled to be announced in September," adding, "Given the safety issues following constitutional incompatibility, this is an issue that must be resolved."
He also stated, "Currently, there are no approved medications in the country, but most countries around the world are using approved medications, and the World Health Organization (WHO) also provides recommendations based on the week of pregnancy," and added that he would review safe usage methods in consultation with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Minister Jeong noted, "Abortion procedures or medications can all adversely affect women's health," and said, "I will carefully consider the rights of the fetus versus the rights of women's health."