Constitutional Court Orders South Korea to Revise Ban on Abortion

South Korea’s Constitutional Court ordered lawmakers to revise ban on abortion by the end of 2020. As per the 1953 ban, women who have abortions can be fined and imprisoned, except in cases of rape, incest or risk to their health. Doctors performing the procedure can face jail.

According to an opinion poll, 58 per cent of the public favored abolishing the ban. A female doctor, who was prosecuted for performing about 70 abortions, challenged the law and called for the review. She said the ban endangered women and limited their rights. Moreover, the growing movement fighting for women’s rights in South Korea has pushed for a much needed change. Campaigners say the abortion ban is part of a boarder bias against women.

However, sources say despite the ban, abortions are widely accessible in South Korea. A survey in 2018 also revealed that one in five women who had been pregnant had had an abortion, and just one per cent fell under the legal exemptions. Women who end or terminate their pregnancies are rarely prosecuted, but activists say,the ban puts health at risk. Youth Rights groups argue that teenagers who get pregnant are often forced to end their studies or transfer to remote institutions.