The crime of abortion disappeared due to abandonment of work in the National Assembly… Concerns about health threats to pregnant women

On the 31st, in front of the parliament building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, “The era of punishment is over!” At a press conference in 2021 without abortion crimes, a citizen (right) insisting against abortion made a picket while officials from the joint action to abolish abortion for all Holding. 2020.12.31/News 1-The abortion crime, which the National Assembly had delayed revising the law, lost its effect on the 1st. This is because the alternative legislation for the abortion provision, which the Constitutional Court decided against inconsistency in April 2019, was not implemented until December 31 of last year.

The Ministry of Justice submitted an amendment in October of last year that entrusts abortion to the mother’s decision until 14 weeks of pregnancy and conditionally permits abortion until 24 weeks of pregnancy when there are diseases, sex crimes, social and economic reasons, etc. However, in the course of discussions at the National Assembly, the national assembly has delayed drawing up a single proposal as the women’s alleged abolition of abortion crimes continued.

Even the public hearing on the abortion bill, which was held on December 8 last year by the National Assembly Legislative Judicial Committee, was held as a “half-piece” due to the parliamentary criticism over the amendment to the High-ranking Officials Criminal Investigation Office (Airlift) Act, and it was not possible to draw any other conclusions. As a result, from the 1st, the grounds for punishment for abortion regardless of the length of pregnancy have disappeared.

An official from the Democratic Party said, “It is true that the discussion on the abortion amendment bill has been pushed to the lower ranks as the opposition parties continue to confront over other issues.” Some are concerned that the issue of abortion may continue to be neglected as the opposition parties are putting all their efforts into elections by the Seoul and Busan mayors. The Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology has a policy that it will not comply with the request for abortion if it passes 22 weeks of pregnancy, which was recommended by the Constitution as an abortion limit. However, there is great concern in the medical field. Kim Dong-seok, chairman of the Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said on the day, “We need to clarify the doctor’s right to veto abortion and prepare the law as soon as possible. If the legislative gap continues, pregnant women who want an abortion can be pushed into the shadows and threaten their health.” In order to minimize the confusion that will occur in the field, the government has devised alternatives, such as distributing a pregnancy and childbirth counseling manual in preparation for a crisis conflict in public health centers nationwide. Reporter Kang Seong-hui [email protected]Go to reporter page>
By Eunji Wizi [email protected]
Reporter Jiwoon Lee [email protected]