ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Korean bishops on abortion law changes: An amendment that "obscures the essence of life"

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - The proposed amendment to South Korea's abortion law "obscures the very essence of life," the Korean Bishops' Conference said in a statement issued following the "partial amendment to the maternal and child health law" proposed by Representative Nam In-soon of the Democratic Party.

According to the bishops, the bill attempts to redefine abortion in neutral terms by changing the current term "artificial intervention for abortion" to "artificial termination of pregnancy," and that "this obscures the very nature of life, diminishes its value, and compromises the ethical perception of abortion. This rhetorical shift transforms abortion from a 'decision to terminate' to a 'therapeutic decision,' potentially leading to a dangerous cultural shift that reduces abortion to a mere 'routine medical procedure.'"

And not only that. The amendment would legalize "all forms of abortion, whether pharmacological or surgical," which "could lead to a dramatic increase in the number of abortions and complicate the protection of women's physical and mental health. By including this intervention in health insurance, the government is attempting to create a system in which abortions are publicly funded. This measure fundamentally undermines the state's duty to protect the right to life."

The Korean bishops also see the bill as a "direct violation of Article 10 of the Constitution." They also state: "Although a woman's right to self-determination must be respected, this right must not override the fetus's right to life." Therefore, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea calls on the government to "create laws and systems that simultaneously respect and protect the fetus's right to life and women's rights. Such laws and systems must, above all, ensure that pregnancy and childbirth do not become a burden for women."

Women and their unborn children should not be viewed as "opposing beings." "This is the path our society must take toward the true common good. Protecting a life essentially means protecting the dignity of the entire community," the bishops said. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 6/8/2025)

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