South Korea To Approve Abortion Pills for Pregnancies Up to Nine Weeks

Overview

• The government announced Wednesday that it will approve an imported two-drug pack of mifepristone and misoprostol and allow medication abortion through nine weeks by the first quarter of 2027.
• Officials said prescriptions and dispensing will be limited to doctors for the first two years to ensure clinical oversight and reduce unsafe online purchases.
• Women's rights groups urged broader eligibility and easier access, with some calling for a 10-week limit and coverage under national health insurance.
• The Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and some physicians demanded new legislation to spell out protocols for detecting ectopic pregnancy, managing heavy bleeding and protecting providers from legal risk.
• The move follows a 2019 Constitutional Court ruling that removed most criminal penalties for abortion and leaves Parliament with unfinished lawmaking that has driven some women to seek unregulated pills online.