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Six hundred young South Korean obstetricians have declared a war against abortion, which is illegal but rampant, resolving not to comply with any abortion request that is not based on medical validity.
“Despite the huge gap between law and reality, our society has left the issue of illegal abortions long unsettled. Most abortions in Korea occur because of social and economic reasons. And all of them are illegal,” the group tentatively named “Gynob said in a statement reported by the Korean Herald.
After ending their anti-abortion campaign within the year, the group plans to seek criminal proceedings from Jan. 1.
The current Mother and Child Health Law permits abortions only in limited cases such as when one of the parents suffers from a hereditary disease, when the pregnancy arises from rape or incest, or when pregnancy would damage the mother’s health severely, the Korean Herald says.
According to figures from the Health Ministry, almost 330,000 abortions were induced in 2005 and only 4.4 percent of them met the legally required conditions. While nearly 450,000 babies are born every year in Korea, doctors say the actual number of abortions would be two to three times greater than the announced figure.
“We doctors, judicial authorities and the Health Ministry all have committed a grave error for a long time. That’s why the uncomfortable truth has never been able to be revealed,” said Choi Ahn-na, spokesperson for Gynob, who also runs a gynecological clinic in Mapo, western Seoul.
“If some doctors quit performing abortions, others would do more. That’s why we are considering criminal charges against illegal abortions,” she said.
“Yes, some of us are criminals too. If necessary, we are ready to be investigated first. We think this might be the last chance to make a change.”
“We thought that it would be difficult for us to voice our opinion unless old practices such as illegal abortions are rooted out by our efforts,” the Gynob spokesperson said.
“In Korea, the issues related to disabled people or unmarried mothers have been largely solved by abortions. No meaningful efforts have been made by the government. Babies should be born without discrimination. Their rights should be claimed, then the government’s policy would follow with better social infrastructure.”
The Korean Catholic Church immediately issued a message welcoming the announcement.
SOURCE
Against abortion (Korea Herald)
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