What is South Korea planning to do about abortion pill imports?

The government plans to proceed with the domestic introduction of pregnancy termination drugs after its legal interpretation found the approval would not violate the Mother and Child Health Act. It says safety, efficacy and quality will be checked as the process moves forward.

Why are medical and religious groups opposing a quick introduction of abortion pills?

They argue the pills should not be introduced hastily without follow-up legislation and a proper system for managing side effects. They say safe access to medical care and clear conditions for use need to be established first.

How are women’s groups responding to the abortion pill import plan?

Women’s groups welcomed the plan and urged faster authorization and better access to medical abortion drugs. Some also called for extending the allowable use period beyond nine weeks and improving access to hospitals in regions with limited medical services.

Gov't plan to allow abortion pill imports draws mixed responses

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Summary

The government’s Wednesday plan to conditionally allow abortion pill imports drew mixed reactions from women’s, medical and religious groups. Women’s groups welcomed faster approval and broader access, while medical and religious communities said legal revisions and safety systems should come first. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is reviewing an application for pills to be used within 63 days of pregnancy. The government says it will proceed while ensuring safety, efficacy and quality.

Key Facts

The Ministry of Government Legislation gave an authoritative interpretation that approval of the pills would not violate the Mother and Child Health Act.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is reviewing an import approval application for abortion pills that are intended for use within 63 days, or nine weeks, of pregnancy.
The Korea Women’s Political Network called the government move a meaningful step toward an institutional foundation for women to access safe and verified medical services.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 16, 2026 5:27 pm KST

Protestors against criminalization of abortion celebrate as the Constitutional Court rules anti-abortion laws unconstitutional, April 11, 2019. Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki

The government's Wednesday announcement of a plan to conditionally allow imports of abortion pills drew mixed reactions from women's, medical and religious groups.

Women's groups called for the rapid approval and expanded access to medical abortion medications, while the medical community urged that relevant laws be amended and safety management systems be established first.

The government has decided to proceed with the domestic introduction of pregnancy termination drugs, based on an authoritative interpretation by the Ministry of Government Legislation that such approval does not violate the Mother and Child Health Act.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is currently reviewing an application for the import approval of abortion pills, which was submitted on the condition that they be used within 63 days, or nine weeks, of pregnancy. The government plans to proceed with the relevant procedures while ensuring the safety, efficacy and quality of the medications.

Women's groups welcomed the plan to introduce abortion pills but urged further institutional improvements to ensure timely authorization and accessibility.

The Korea Women's Political Network, a progressive civic group, issued a statement describing the government move as a "meaningful" step forward establishing an institutional foundation for women to access safe and verified medical services.

Some experts stressed the need to expand access to abortion pills by extending the allowable period of use from nine weeks to up to 12 weeks, while others called for measures to improve access to hospitals in regions with limited medical services.

On the other hand, domestic medical and religious communities argued that abortion pills should not be hastily introduced without proper enactment of followup legislation.

They called for the proper establishment of the sequence and conditions for the introduction of abortion pills, saying women's right to health can only be effectively protected after safe access to medical care and systems for managing side effects are secured first.

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