WOMEN'S GROUPS OPPOSE REVISED ABORTION LAW

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Early last month the government announced a new law permitting women to terminate their pregnancies on a limited basis. But women's rights activists are still strongly opposing the move despite their previous demand to scrap punishment for abortion.

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The Constitutional Court ruled in April 2019 that the abortion law was unconstitutional. It also demanded the proposed bill on the law's revision be supplemented by the endof this year. But the government did not lay out the revised bill until two months before the deadline.

[Soundbite] HAN MI-KYUNG(KOREA WOMEN'S ALLIANCE) : "The bill was laid out belatedly because the government has no intention of changing the law. It was probably done to buy time."

Women's rights activists called the government's bill disappointing mostly because it contains a stipulation saying abortion is illegal.

[Soundbite] NA YOUNG(ACTION FOR ACCESS TO SAFE AND LEGAL ABORTION) : "The existence of punishment violates not only women's right to decide for themselves, but also their rights to health and equality guaranteed by the constitution."

They believe the revised bill will do little to eliminate confusion.

[Soundbite] KIM SEON-HYE(PROFESSOR, EWHA WOMANS' UNIVERSITY) : "They mean the same.The Criminal Law calls abortion a "crime," whereas the Mother and Child Health Law all of a sudden calls it "pregnancy termination“ for which women can receive help."

Critics point out the government's bill permitting pregnancy termination during a certain period could put women facing financial and social challenges at greater disadvantage.

[Soundbite] HAN MI-KYUNG(KOREA WOMEN'S ALLIANCE) : "Out of despair, women have no choice but to terminate their pregnancies despite health risks. The pregnancy term for legal abortion is limited..."

[Soundbite] NA YOUNG(ACTION FOR ACCESS TO SAFE AND LEGAL ABORTION) : "women who cannot end their pregnancies within 14 weeks are mostly those　whose social status or rights are not guaranteed. They are teens and migrant women who struggle financially."

Women's rights activists will hold a news conference on November 27 to demand the abolition of the abortion law, and will stage one-person rallies in front of the National Assembly next month.