Russia Expands Ban on Abortion Surgeries in Hospitals... What About South Korea, Where Abortion Laws Have Been Abolished?

Russia Issues Abortion Ban as a Measure to Address Military Manpower Shortage
South Korea Faces Stagnation Since Abolishing Abortion Crime in 2019

On the 20th (local time), a Russian family passing by the 'Z' symbol installed in downtown Moscow. This symbol has become a sign of support for soldiers since the outbreak of the Ukraine war. [Image source=EPA·Yonhap News]

The Russian government has reportedly begun banning abortion surgeries in private hospitals, sparking growing controversy both inside and outside Russia. The Russian government cites the massive casualties in the Ukraine war and a shortage of male manpower due to large-scale overseas desertion to avoid military service as justification, but women are strongly opposing the move.

Not only in Russia but globally, as the low birthrate trend deepens and far-right regimes emerge, regulations banning abortion are increasing, leading to widespread controversy. In South Korea, where abortion was decriminalized following a constitutional inconsistency ruling in 2019, the failure to pass follow-up legislation has resulted in a prolonged stalemate, prompting calls for swift legislation to protect women's health.

Abortion Ban Legislation Not Passed Yet... Putin Says "Have 8 Children Each"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to AFP on the 20th (local time), bans on abortion surgeries are spreading in regional health centers and major hospitals across Russia. The Russian parliament is currently discussing the submission of a law to ban abortion surgeries, but the government has already begun issuing prohibition orders even before legislation. There are also forecasts that abortion surgeries will soon be excluded from medical insurance coverage.

The Russian government and parliament have been discussing abortion bans since the outbreak of the Ukraine war last year, arguing that such bans are necessary. With over 300,000 casualties in the Ukraine war and more than one million adult men fleeing overseas to avoid military service after the war, the male workforce has significantly decreased, prompting the government to propose abortion bans as a solution.

Tatyana Stanovaya, senior researcher at the Carnegie Moscow Center for Eurasian Studies, told AFP, "The Russian government views abortion bans as a means for national survival," and pointed out, "The Kremlin claims that abortion itself is a Western plot to undermine Russia's population capacity."

President Putin has also publicly expressed opposition to abortion and emphasized the need to have more children. At the end of last month, during a Russian National Assembly, Putin stated, "Our grandmothers' generation generally had 7 or 8 children, or even more," and added, "We must preserve and revive this wonderful tradition."

Abortion Regulation Winds Also Blowing in the U.S... Controversy Expands

Such abortion regulations are spreading not only in Russia but also in the United States and some European countries, accompanied by right-wing groups' claims that they must prevent the low birthrate trend. Notably, the U.S. Supreme Court, which abolished abortion rights last year, has announced it is considering regulations on the sale of abortion pills, sparking controversy.

According to CNN, on the 13th, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would review issues related to the sale of oral abortion pills. Earlier, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana, ruled in August to restrict the use of mifepristone, used for abortion, from the previous "within 10 weeks of pregnancy" to "within 7 weeks," and banned remote prescriptions and mail delivery.

Mifepristone is an oral abortion drug taken together with misoprostol. It is estimated that about half of abortions in the U.S. are performed using these drugs. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved mifepristone in 2000, it has been periodically recognized for safety, and currently, prescriptions can be obtained without meeting a doctor in person.

The appellate court's ruling came after a federal district court in Texas ruled in April to revoke the FDA approval of mifepristone, which the federal government appealed. The U.S. Department of Justice and the drug manufacturer Danco Laboratories further contested this and brought the case to the Supreme Court, which accepted it. The Supreme Court is expected to begin hearings soon, with a ruling anticipated by the end of June next year, amid the presidential election season.

South Korea, Where Abortion Was Decriminalized in 2019... Follow-up Legislation Still Uncertain

In South Korea, where abortion was decriminalized in 2019, abortion remains a current and ongoing controversy. Although the abortion law itself was abolished following a constitutional inconsistency ruling, follow-up legislation has yet to be established.

On April 11, 2019, the Constitutional Court ruled the abortion law unconstitutional and demanded revisions to related laws, including the Criminal Act and the Maternal and Child Health Act, by December 31, 2020. As a result, the abortion provisions in the Criminal Act were automatically repealed as of January 1, 2021, but substitute legislation remains stalled. Amendments to the Maternal and Child Health Act, which would allow the use of abortion-inducing drugs and guarantee the right to terminate pregnancy, have been submitted to the National Assembly but have seen little progress.

Before the abortion law was repealed, Article 14 of the Maternal and Child Health Act allowed abortion only under limited circumstances such as: ▲ Eugenic or genetic mental or physical disabilities of the parents ▲ Infectious diseases of the parents ▲ Pregnancy due to rape or quasi-rape ▲ Pregnancy between relatives, with health insurance coverage applying only in these cases. Since these issues are directly related to women's health, voices from women's groups are growing louder, urging swift legislation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.