[Korea College Club Q&A] 3. What are your opinions on legalization of abortion in Korea?
Korea's presidential office has responded to a petition on its website demanding that abortion be legalized.
The petition, submitted on September 30th, gained the support of more than 235-thousand people.
"The abortion survey that was last carried out in 2010 will be resumed starting 2018. We expect that more precise research on abortion and the reasons for it will lead to a more progressive discussion on the topic."
The Presidential Office added that the rights of women do need to be considered as the current law places sole responsibility on women, and not on the men involved or the government.
What are your opinions on legalization of abortion in Korea?
What do you think the government would do about on this matter in the future?
@highyoonzi : For the legalization
#1. A baby being born is a blessed occasion, but if it is an unwanted occasion, it's just a burden to the government, the child, and the nation.
Because the current law is punishing those who abort, there are lots of people getting illegal surgeries and there are hospitals selling fake medicine or asking for lots of money for the abortion.
The side effects are also big. The current law is demanding that the mother should take all the responsibility, and it is not fair.
I'm also certain that the unwanted kids won't grow up in a good environment.
A truly happy family is made when people had plans before it and if they are certain that they will be able to raise them well.
#2. I think positively of the government taking the petition seriously and trying to communicate.
I'm surprised that there wasn't any kind of research on the actual condition that's been done after 2010, when the government used lots of budgets for the low birth rate. I'm waiting for a positive outcome for the next year's research.
@septemberbre2ze: For the legalization
#1. Abortion is against one's conscience and I truly believe that the life of the fetus is important too. But there are lots of situations that could happen in reality, and I think it should be legalized.
It should be both parents who take the blame, and even if the blame is for both, the one who is more affected is the woman. Physical changes are inevitable for her.
Of course, people have to take responsibilities. But reallistically, it's hard to think about such things in the heat of the moment. There are lots of people with a wrong mindset, and the results are often disastrous. It is too cruel to illegalize it in such a complex world. It's not an easy decision for a woman to make.
#2. The government will probably legalize abortion only for 1-2 months old fetuses, and illegalize for the rest.
@devi1714 : For the legalization
#1. I think that the Korean government should legalise abortion. Choice is one of the key importances in life, and something that everybody should have.
However I think that Korean society has a unique perspective on this due to the 'korean aging' system. In Korea, your age begins from the time you are conceived, rather than the moment you are born, I personally think that this system is hypocritical and should be removed.
Korea was rampant with abortion of girls in the 70s and the 80s due to the confucian and patriarchal values of the Korean society. How can you give an age and even a living status to something then kill simply because it is female and not male?
#2. I think that abortion should definitely be legalised, however, the Korean aging system should also be abolished. It's a very strong double standard.
@williampark: Against the legalization
#1. I don't think that the total abolition of the penalty for abortion law is realistically possible. There are lots of conflicting ethical issues on this matter and there hasn't been a great solution for this.
There has been a few cases that permitted abortion in special conditions (such as rape) but there is a strong need to legally put the responsibility on men too.
#2. The goverment has to get up with a more realistic answer with the research next year. There has to be a social consensus before changing the law.
It's impossible to solve the problem with legal restrictions and it has to be accompanied with a national recognition improvement.
The law shouldn't be changed with populism but with rationality, and there is a need to take a close look of the global situation. I'm looking forward to the attention of the people on this matter and the goverment trying to come with a solution.
@katechoi: Against the legalization
#1. I'm against the legalization because I believe that it's not right to justify stopping the birth of a life. I also think there will be people abusing the policy in the future.
There are lots of people who argue that a cell and a human being is different. But I see the fetus as a sign of life. Just because they are not in the human form doesn't mean they are not living, and the idea is just cruel. So before legalizing abortion, I believe campaigns for birth controls are more important.
#2. I think the government will change it standards more liberally.
@winnie98: For the legalization
#1. I am for the legalization of abortion. The legalization is not about recommending abortion but bringing the surgeries from the dark to the light of day.
Realistically our nation is putting all the blame on women. There are lots of cases in which the man and woman agree to raise the child yet the guy flees after the baby is born.
We can't consider abortion as taking life lightly. It's important to give a last option to the people by education and safe abortion.
#2. The government will positively change it's position on the matter. The perception of abortion is changing globally and the era is supporting women's rights.
@zoethehedgehog: For the legalization
#1. It is absurd to think that the abortion rates will go up after the legalization.
Abortion has side affects and the woman could possibly not be able to have babies in the future. It's not an easy choice.
Because it is illegal, lots of women go through dangerous surgeries in a worse environment. If it is legalized, they will at least have a safer environment. Who's more important? The fetus who is barely a human being, or the mother who is?
There are lots of discussions on when life starts, but the mother is definitely a human being.
To a human being, the society blames only the woman, and makes her go through surgery in a bad environment, then mocks her for it afterwards.
#2. I don't think the current government will legalize it. The Moon government (The president's name is Jaein Moon) is left winged, for sure, but the liberal tendency is closer to the one in the 70s and 80s in Korea, following the slogan of the ones who fought against the dictatorship.
The current government will probably just try to make democracy than handling such a touchy issue. Korea is a confucian society after all. Maybe the next liberal government or the next after the next will legalize it.
@iamtennis: For the legalization
#1. I'm for the legalization. Every woman should have the right for their own body. A society where a woman can't choose what to do with their body is not truly a society women.
I've heard 'You should do birth controls' from an old man who I've never met before. He told me that women shouldn't think of abortion and should take birth controls. Why the hell should I be hearing this? Even my brother said it too me. The pills for the control hurts the body of women. But the society asks women to take the pills and they make them criminals after abortion. Just simply use a condom.
It's bullshit that women will become more obscene after the legalization of the abortion. It just shows the perception on women. This country has a history of firing women when they are pregnant. The people don't empty the seats for pregnant mothers on subways (*There are seats just for pregnant women in the subways of Korea.)
It's murder when a female goes through abortion yet the guy who ejaculated doesn't take the blame. The hypocrisy is great.
(Caitlin Moran) I can not understand anti-abortion that centre on the sanctity of life...The shrugging accpetance of war, famine, epidemic, pain and life-long poverty shows us that, we've made only the most feeble of efforts to really treat human life as sacred.
#2. We don't have a state religion in our nation yet the senior secretary for civil rights is talking about abortion with Catholics. I don't even want to make an effort to understand this.
There are no women in the picture. If you never had a uterus, you don't have the right to pressure woman with the issue. The answer of the presidential office was more than I expected, but I'm not satisfied because it's not legalized yet.
@soul1590 : For the legalization.
#1. I'm for the legalization. The abortion videos we see during the sex educations tell us that it's an evil act, cutting the legs and arms of a fetus. But it's not a complete human being, and I don't think it's murder. Life will be harder for them if the parents are unprepared, and I think it'll cause more pain for them.
#2. I believe that the government will start to pay attention to woman's rights after the petition. I'm looking forward to it.
Legalization of abortion should always be in hands of those that are affected by it - women. I, as a man, can no further understand the views of women and will never be able to. It is women that should decide the fate of what they should and should not be able to do. There are so many instances in which people who do not understand or cannot understand decide the fate of those who are actually affected by something.
Korea, and I must say, most of the world is behind in terms of allowing women to do what they decide is best for themselves. I believe that we should provide them with the freedom to do so.
Good quote.. There are so many instances in which people do not understand decide the fate of those who are actually affected by something.
Politics in one sentence.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
Indeed.Thank you for your opinion.
I never think of the future - it comes soon enough.
- Albert Einstein
Yes, we are the future! The discussion about life had a long history but woman are undeniably human. Thank you for your comment.
Raising a child is already hard enough as it is. If the person isn't ready yet, she should have the right to choose. That's for her own good as well as the child (who wants to be from an unwanted birth honestly ?)
Nobody really. Some people regret giving birth after years of planning, and if it was not planned it'd be harder. Thank you for your comment.
This is a wonderful debate format and I'm thrilled to see such diverse discussion on a topic that is typically taboo to mention in Korean social circles. I'd love to join in/offer my thoughts as well from a Korean American perspective.
From my perspective, I'm in full support of legalization. Moral debates or questions of right/wrong aside, it's a contemporary reality that Korean women often opt for illegal abortions - 500,000 on avg. each year. Legalization would open the conversation and begin needed protections for these women in need.
That being said, I highly doubt any Korean administration, no matter how liberal, would be able to pass laws pushing this forward. Regardless of broad consensus, Korean society typically leans heavily towards policies that 'save face' and having "abortion" part of daily vocabulary doesn't seem feasible.
Great post!
Haha, number 2 is quite depressing..But also very true. But who knows the future really, I'll try to be optimistic. Thank you for your comment.