By UCA News reporter
SOUTH KOREA – Catholic bishops in South Korea have expressed grave concern and opposition to “a partial change” in legislation governing abortions, calling for a more balanced law that protects both the unborn and women.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, in a Jul 23 press statement, said it “deeply regrets” the revision of the Maternal and Child Health Act (1973) proposed by lawmaker Nam In-soon of the Democratic Party of Korea.
The bill seeks to redefine abortion as a more neutral act by changing the existing term “artificial abortion surgery” to “artificial pregnancy termination,” the bishops said.
They alleged that the proposed change trivializes “the serious act of ending a life into a routine medical procedure.”
Using a neutral term obscures the essence of life, dilutes the value of life, and blurs the ethical perception of abortion, they added.
The bishops pointed out that the linguistic shift could lead to a “dangerous cultural transformation,” where abortion is perceived as a therapeutic decision rather than “a choice to end a life.”
The bishops urged the Korean government to establish laws and systems that respect and protect both the right to life of the unborn and the rights of women.
“Such laws and systems must, above all, ensure that pregnancy and childbirth do not become a heavy burden for women,” the bishops said.
They also pointed out that the fetus and the woman must not be viewed as opposing entities, but “rather strive toward a direction where the rights of both are balanced and harmonized.”
The bishops emphasized that while women’s right to self-determination must be respected, that right must not take precedence over the right to life of the fetus.
Citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2270, the bishops reiterated the church’s position that abortion cannot be justified under any circumstances and that the level of protection for life cannot vary depending on the stage of pregnancy.
Illegal abortions were common in South Korea, which banned the practice in 1953. The law, however, was not strictly enforced in the nation.
In 2019, South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled that the criminalization of abortion was illegal and ordered the government to lift the ban.
In Jan 2021, South Korea’s parliament passed legislative measures to decriminalize abortion and repeal previous laws that banned it.
Following the Constitutional Court’s ruling, Articles 269 and 270 of the Korean Criminal Code 1953 ceased. However, the lack of follow-up legislation created a legal and procedural vacuum.
The bishops pointed out that if the proposed bill institutionalizes all forms of abortion, including not only surgical but also medical methods, then abortions may increase sharply, making it difficult to protect women’s physical and mental health.
“Furthermore, by applying health insurance benefits to this act, the state is attempting to establish a system that supports abortion procedures through public funds,” the bishops alleged.
The move undermines the state’s duty to protect the right to life, and poses a significant risk of undermining social standards regarding the value of life, the bishops warned.
The bishops stated that the Catholic Church in the nation will continue to pray, educate, act, and participate in policy-making as a guardian of life, and “will strive tirelessly to build a society where all human life is respected and protected.”
In 2018, Korean bishops launched an anti-abortion petition that gained one million signatures. The Church has also been organizing March for Life, a pro-life rally campaign in various parts of the country to oppose abortion. – UCA News
