Catholics, women's groups clash over abortion ban

Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung, third from left, signs a petition against the decriminalization of abortion at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul, Sunday. / Yonhap

By Kim Bo-eun

The Catholic Church on Sunday began a movement to collect 1 million supporters for a petition to prevent the decriminalization of abortion.

The Seoul National University parish became the first to join the movement, with Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung signing the petition at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul.

The cardinal also reportedly spoke of his concerns on efforts to legalize abortion during a mass held before the signing.

“The life that we should have protected with priority is a life that does not have the power to protect itself,” he said.

“Abortion is an act of violence and a type of murder of lives that have not yet been born.”

The Catholic Church said it will expand the petition-signing movement to nonbelievers.

Members of women’s groups take part in a protest against the law banning abortion at Gwanghwamun in central Seoul, Saturday. / Yonhap

Meanwhile, around 500 women clad in black gathered in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, Saturday, to make their voices heard in the ongoing debate on abortion regulations.

Members of an association of 11 women’s groups urged the abolition of the current law that bans abortion.

“Criminalizing abortion infringes upon women’s rights to pursuit of happiness and self-determination,” they said.

The participants marched to the Cheongun Hyoja-dong Community Center nearby Cheong Wa Dae.

The “black protest” originated from Poland, where women dressed in black held massive rallies in protest against a bill to place an all-out ban on abortion. The protests forced lawmakers to repeal the proposal.

The color black was a symbol of mourning for the feared loss of reproductive rights.

The protest comes amid growing controversy over the issue.

Earlier, a petition calling for the abolition of the abortion ban on the presidential website earned over 230,000 supporters, which led to Cheong Wa Dae stating that it would conduct a study into the status quo.

Under current regulations, women who undergo abortion are subject to a prison term of up to a year or a maximum fine of 2 million won ($1,800).

Doctors who perform an abortion surgery with the consent of a pregnant woman face a prison term of up to two years.

Abortion is allowed in case the pregnancy was caused by rape or by a relative with whom marriage cannot take place by law, or when the fetus is found to have a hereditary mental disorder or disease.

In 2012, the Constitutional Court ruled that clauses banning abortion were constitutional. The court is currently re-examining the clauses ahead of second ruling on the issue.