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| Members of Eld Union, a civic group consisting of senior citizens, hold a rally near the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, June 16, calling for legalization of euthanasia. Newsis |
By Lee Hyo-jin
Debates on euthanasia, the deliberate ending of a person's life to relieve suffering, have been reignited in Korea due to a proposed law that would offer certain patients with terminal illnesses an end-of-life option.
Earlier in June, Rep. Ahn Gyu-back of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea proposed a revision to the Act on Decisions on Life-Sustaining Treatment for patients in hospice care, or the so-called "Death with Dignity Act," which would allow terminally ill patients to request a physician to assist in the process of ending their life.
While the current measures ― in a limited way ― allow terminally ill patients to withdraw life-extending medical treatments under several key criteria such as confirmation by a family member and approval from the ethics committee at a medical institution, the revision bill goes a step further.
Under the proposed bill, eligible applicants seeking physician-assisted death may file a request to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, proving that they are suffering from an irreversible illness and unbearable pain.
The ministry would then review the case with various medical experts. If granted approval, the patient would then be able to request a prescription for life-ending medication or subsequent medical aid. And the physician who performs the procedure will be exempt from criminal punishment.
Eld Union, a civic group consisting of senior citizens, strongly supported the legislation, which they believe would guarantee individuals' self-determination regarding the issue of assisted dying.
"Even as we speak, there are hundreds of thousands of patients receiving 'meaningless' end-of-life care lying in comas in intensive care unit beds, incapable of expressing their own wishes. In other words, they are deprived of a choice over the manner and timing of their imminent death," Ko Hyun-jong, a senior official at Eld Union, told The Korea Times.
He went on to say that the legalization of physician assisted-dying would spare the economic and emotional pain of the patient's family and guardians who have to see their loved ones suffer a long-drawn-out death while suffering from difficulties in covering medical costs.
The right-to-die activist also thinks that Rep. Ahn's proposal concerning the revision seems to reflect changes in public sentiment over the issue.
A survey conducted in March 2021 among 1,000 adults by Yun Young-ho, a professor of family medicine at Seoul National University Hospital, found that over 76 percent of respondents had positive views of the legalization of euthanasia or assisted dying. In the same survey conducted in 2016 and 2008, about 50 percent, respectively, said that they would support it.
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| A medical worker takes care of a patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Yonsei Severance Hospital in Sinchon, Seoul, in this March 2018 photo. Korea Times file |
However, it remains to be seen whether the revision of the Act can be tabled at the National Assembly.
Criticism of the legalization of end-of-life practices comes not only from Christians who have expressed their fundamental opposition to the idea but also from doctors, who would be deeply involved in carrying out the subsequent actions.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents about 140,000 doctors, said that it is premature to discuss the legalization of physician-assisted suicide, saying that there is a lack of social consensus on the issue.
"Unlike the current Death with Dignity Act which is strictly limited to suspending life-prolonging treatment if it is deemed that the treatment does not help the patient to carry on with a meaningful manner of life, assisted dying can be seen as an act of deciding one's death in advance," the KMA said in a statement, July 8.
In addition to concerns about euthanasia and assisted suicide is the issue that such a revision of the act may weaken society's respect for the value and importance of human life. In addition, many doctors voiced their concerns about a lack of measures to ensure the legal protection of physicians who would be asked to perform the procedure.
