South Korea to Phase In Medication Abortion Up to Nine Weeks by Early 2027

South Korea will introduce medication abortion for pregnancies of up to nine weeks by the end of March 2027, beginning with a two-year period in which doctors prescribe and dispense the drugs at major hospitals, the government announced Wednesday. The phased plan, presented at a government policy coordination meeting, is intended to close a legal and regulatory vacuum that has persisted since the country's criminalization of abortion lost effect in 2021.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook framed the decision as a public health imperative. "Allowing this institutional vacuum to continue effectively amounts to neglecting public health and safety," Han said. "It is crucial that we come up with a safe and practical solution." She added that the government takes "concerns regarding the value of life" seriously, stating, "This measure is aimed at protecting the people's health rather than encouraging abortion."

Regulatory Review of Mifegymiso Underway

The medication will not become available immediately, as it must first receive regulatory approval. Hyundai Pharm (搜索)搜索该词条 applied in December 2024 for approval to import Mifegymiso查看药品详情, and the application remains under review by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (搜索)搜索该词条.

Mifegymiso查看药品详情 is a combination pack containing mifepristone查看药品详情 and misoprostol查看药品详情, taken sequentially to terminate an early pregnancy. Mifepristone blocks the action of progesterone查看药品详情, a hormone needed to sustain pregnancy, while misoprostol, taken afterward, causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy.

Shin Joon-soo, director-general of the ministry's Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau, said a substantial portion of the review had been completed, with several procedures remaining, including an assessment of the drug's risk management plan. "Following a thorough review, we will work with the company so that the medication can be introduced within the first quarter of next year once it has completed preparations involving imports and personnel," Shin said at a joint government briefing. A drug ministry official separately said, "Our goal is to introduce the pills within the first quarter next year on the condition related procedures are fully carried out."

Two-Stage Dispensing Model

Under the government plan, medication-based abortion would be designated as a temporary exception to Korea's mandatory separation of prescribing and dispensing, allowing doctors to perform both roles during the initial two-year period. If the necessary safeguards are subsequently established, the system would switch to doctors issuing prescriptions and independent pharmacies dispensing the medication.

The government also plans to support the medical community in developing clinical guidelines and to establish systems for monitoring adverse reactions and managing the medication.

Legislative Gap Since 2019 Ruling

The Constitutional Court ruled in 2019 that the country's abortion ban was incompatible with the Constitution and ordered the National Assembly to revise the law by the end of 2020. Lawmakers have failed to pass replacement legislation. Han said the government would pursue revisions to the Criminal Act and the Maternal and Child Health Act to address the broader legislative vacuum.

President Lee Jae Myung brought renewed attention to the issue in July when he called for women to be able to obtain medication abortion under medical supervision. The formal introduction of abortion pills is one of the administrative tasks set by the Lee Jae Myung government, and the initiative gained momentum after his July instruction to examine ways to allow women to safely take the pills even before the necessary legal framework is in place.

Gender Equality Minister Won Min-kyong said the policy would enable women to terminate pregnancies safely within the formal health care system while easing the financial burden on those facing difficult social and economic circumstances. Officials noted that some women have resorted to illegally distributed drugs and other dangerous methods during the regulatory gap. "We must come up with measures to help women in need to receive treatment within the safe medical system, rather than having to rely on unverified methods," Han said.