South Korea's abortion ban could be overturned this week
FREE Catholic Classes
A pro-life doctor in South Korea is asking the international community for prayers, as the country's constituional court considers whether to overturn its national abortion ban April 11.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
4/11/2019 (5 years ago)
Published in Asia Pacific
Keywords: South Korea's, abortion ban, overturned
Seoul, South Korea, (CNA) - Around 1,000 South Koreans rallied April 6 at a March for Life in Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square ahead of the Constitutional Court ruling on the country's abortion law, which currently prohibits abortion except in the case of rape, incest, genetic disease, or risk to the mother's health.
"We have done our best to protect the life of fetuses. Now we can only pray for life," Brother James Shin told CNA following the march.
Shin is a doctor and religious brother who provides medical care to the the poor and is active in South Korea's pro-life movement.
Abortion advocates are calling on the court to allow abortions within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and to add social and economic reasons to the exceptions allowing for abortion further into pregnancy, Shin said.
At least six judges on Korea's nine-member Constitutional Court, due to rule April 11, are needed to declare the current law unconstitutional.
The Archbishop of Seoul, Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soojung, has been an outspoken advocate for the protection of unborn life in South Korea's national debates.
"Human dignity cannot be decided by majority vote or judged by socioeconomic standards," Cardinal Yeom said at a Mass for Catholic congressmen last month.
The cardinal also called for an end to the death penalty in Korea. "Human life is the most important and fundamental gift, which is a source of all human rights. The death penalty is a serious insult and sin against everyone's right to life," he said.
Abortion is known to be common in South Korea, despite being against the country's criminal code. Women obtaining an illicit procedure can be sentenced to a year in prison or a fine of under $2,000, while doctors can be jailed for up to two years, but the law is rarely enforced.
About 340,000 abortions are performed annually in South Korea, while 440,000 child births are reported, according to a 2012 study published in the International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family.
"In high-income South Korea ... safe but clandestine procedures are widely available, despite a fairly restrictive law," said the Guttmacher Institute, which provides research and analysis to "advance sexual and reproductive health and rights," in a 2018 report.
The current case being considered by Korea's Constitutional Court was brought to court by an obstetrician prosecuted for performing 69 illegal abortions between 2013 and 2015.
At his confirmation last September, the Chief Justice of Korea's Constitutional Court, Yoo Nam-seok, said, "I think we need to consider ways to allow women's termination of pregnancies in early stages for social and economic reasons through consultations with doctors and professionals," the Korea Herald reported.
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Brother Shin characterized the current cultural atmosphere in South Korea as leaning towards "pro-choice." He said that he wants to bring the movie "Unplanned" to Korea to raise awareness of the reality of abortion.
"We need people's prayers for Korea," he said.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Embracing the Light of Our Lady of Fatima on Her Feast Day
-
Mother's Day and the Gift of Mary as Mother
-
How Molecular Biology Sheds Light on The Catholic Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and ...
-
Top 10 mothers from the Bible
-
California Teens Win $1 Million Lawsuit Against Catholic School Over Misinterpreted Blackface ...
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Tuesday, May 14, 2024
- St. Matthias: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, May 14, 2024
- Prayer to St. Gabriel, for Others: Prayer of the Day for Friday, May 10, 2024
- Daily Readings for Monday, May 13, 2024
- St. John the Silent: Saint of the Day for Monday, May 13, 2024
- Prayer for Travelers: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, May 09, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.