On Sept. 16, the government of South Korea officially announced its plan to introduce Mifegyne, an oral medication used for early pregnancy termination. HAN Seong-suk, the prime minister of South Korea, presided over a policy coordination meeting at the Government Complex Seoul and declared the government’s policy to “gradually introduce abortion medication for pregnancies of nine weeks or less.” According to the phased roadmap presented by the government, the drug will be prescribed and dispensed exclusively within hospitals during the initial two years to manage safety and prevent misuse. Once the necessary legal and medical conditions are established thereafter, the system will transition to a model where doctors issue prescriptions for patients to obtain the medication at pharmacies.
In a joint briefing held by related government agencies, including the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, officials discussed the necessity, expected effects, and implementation steps of introducing the medication. The government stated that it will complete approval and import review procedures smoothly to ensure Mifegyne is introduced within the first quarter of next year.
Discussions surrounding the introduction of Mifegyne originated from a 2019 Constitutional Court ruling that found the criminal abortion law unconstitutional. Although the abortion clause lost its legal effect starting in 2021 under the court decision, follow-up legislation to define the scope and procedures for pregnancy termination stalled in the National Assembly, leaving the policy on Mifegyne adrift for years. During this prolonged legislative void, some women were exposed to severe health risks by resorting to dangerous and unverified methods.
The policy gained significant momentum following a direct instruction from LEE Jae Myung, president of Korea, during a Cabinet meeting in July to review the early introduction of pregnancy termination medication. Lee acknowledged that while every reform decision creates opponents whose opposition grows over time, he expects that public evaluations will improve once citizens experience tangible improvements in their lives. In addition, medication alone may not complete an abortion, requiring additional procedures like aspiration. Do not assume the process is complete based on bleeding alone; a follow-up hospital visit is essential. Common side effects include abdominal pain, bleeding, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Rarely, severe complications like heavy bleeding requiring transfusion or infection may occur.
WON Min-kyong, Minister of Gender Equality and Family, pledged that the government will proceed with drug approval and review procedures without disruption while continuously monitoring and improving the safety environment for medication usage.
