South Korea to approve abortion pills by 2027

South Korea has announced plans to approve abortion pills for the first time, aiming for a phased introduction by the first quarter of 2027. The government intends to allow medication abortions for women up to nine weeks pregnant, with doctors directly prescribing and dispensing the drugs during the initial two years of implementation.

This move follows a 2019 Constitutional Court ruling that ordered the easing of the country’s strict abortion ban. While abortion was subsequently decriminalized, a legislative gap has persisted, leading to confusion in the medical field and forcing some women to seek unverified medications through unauthorized online channels.

The plan has met significant opposition from religious groups. The United Christian Churches of Korea issued a statement calling for a halt to the introduction of the drugs, arguing that the policy ignores the legal framework for life protection. The group, joining the Catholic Church in opposition, insists that the National Assembly must first establish comprehensive legal standards regarding gestational limits, safety management, and protections for women in crisis pregnancies.