Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

Women Inactive in Preventing Unwanted Pregnancy
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/09/117_31719.html

By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

Many Korean women still rely on their sex partners for birth control, which often leads to unwanted pregnancies and damage to their health, a medical study group said Thursday, a day ahead of World Contraception Day.

According to a survey by Study Group for Contraception, 45 percent of 1,000 women nationwide aged between 19 to 34 believed that contraception should be the responsibility of men, while only 4.8 percent said it was women's.

Among those with sexual experience, 33 percent said they had hardly tried birth control, while others said they use a tester to see whether they are pregnant or use a morning-after pill after unprotected sex. Even for contraception, many turned to fertility awareness or coitus interruptus rather than condoms or pills.

These incomplete birth control methods often lead to unwanted pregnancies. Every year, there are 80 million cases of unwanted pregnancies taking place in the world, of which 58 percent end up being aborted. In Korea, the health ministry assumes 340,000 abortions took place in 2005, which is one out of every 32 fertile women undergoing such an operation a year.

Public awareness of contraception is very low. Though surgery could cause after effects or complications, such as stomachache, backache, edema and inflammation among others, many failed to take precautions.

``Pregnancy is one of the most important events in the life of a woman. If it is not planned carefully, it could damage her body as well as her spirit. We should look at contraception as a woman's right to be healthy and decisive in her life,'' Lee Im-soon, the group president, said.

World Contraception Day is being marked by 70 women's rights and health groups worldwide. Under the catchphrase of ``Your Body, Your Life and Your Choice,'' the groups hold seminars, campaigns and events to promote the right contraception for every woman.

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[wylies99]

[Milwaukiedave]

Wylies,

Here is what I found:

http://ahnse.blogspot.com/2007/11/abortion-in-korea.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSSEO35121820080404?sp=true


So I believe the answer is no, but they happen anyway and people are rarely prosecuted for it.

Edit: Well I'm bored so I did more digging. Here is an article about the penalty, via Stars and Stripes (sorry I can't find the link to it).

South Korea may change abortion law
Stars and Stripes ^ | Tuesday, December 11, 2007 | Ashley Rowland

Posted on Monday, December 10, 2007 12:55:27 PM by Jet Jaguar

Servicemembers stationed in South Korea may find ending a pregnancy easier if a move to modify the country�s abortion laws succeeds.

An official with South Korea�s Ministry of Health and Welfare said the ministry wants to make its abortion laws more �realistic.�

�There are so many cases of abortions occurred for financial reasons rather than legally allowed situations,� said Kim Ki-soo, of the ministry�s Support for Child Birth and Maternity Child Birth Team.

Abortion is banned in South Korea, except when the fetus has a genetic problem or disease, or when the pregnancy endangers the mother�s life, according to the Korean Ministry of Government Legislation. Many women, however, are believed to get abortions illegally.

U.S. military medical facilities do not provide voluntary abortions, defined as those that terminate pregnancy as a choice rather than a medical necessity.

The ministry said approximately 340,000 abortions were performed in South Korea in 2005, the latest year for which figures are available.

Kim said he doesn�t know when the abortion law could be changed, but the ministry will hold public hearings in January and begin drafting a bill next year. After that, the National Assembly will have to approve the bill before it becomes law.

Women who get an abortion in South Korea can face a year in jail or a fine of up to 2 million won, or $2,170. Doctors performing the procedure face up to two years in prison.

[wylies99]

Korea Times blames the women for unwanted pregnancies.


Take 2 to Tango.

[ciccone_youth]

Crazy to think they don't use much birth control when the birth control pill is so, so easy to get here... no prescription needed, no doctor's appointment.

[peppermint]

[cdninkorea]

[ernie]

1 in 32 fertile korean women have an abortion every YEAR?!

this is astounding. i wonder what the stats are in other 'developed' countries. korean women (and men) need to get their heads out of the sand on this issue. what a shame.

[Faunaki]

I was talking to a 27 year old K friend of mine who was telling me she had killer period cramps. I told her to take the pill as it reduces period pain greatly but she told me her mother would have her head on a platter if she ever found out she was taking the pill.

I don't get it.

I also knew a lot of women in Taiwan who would not use tampons as it had some sort of an effect on their virginity. (As far as I knew they weren't virgins).

I also don't get it.

And anywhere you go in Asia, you'll notice there are no teenagers pushing baby carriages precisely because of abortions. Even my Christian K teacher told me she'd force her teenaged daughter to abort if a pregnancy should happen.

I think her opinion was f3ck god, what will people think of us?

[jkelly80]

You don't own your body in Confucianism. Your ancestors do. Or some BS.

[Cornfed]

[Bigfeet]

Not surprising when women used to be treated nearly like 2nd class citizens here. I'm sure the attitude is slowly changing but it will be a while yet.

[sistersarah]

I think Faunaki hit the nail on the head... there are too many myths about birth control, as well as stigma. In the past when I mentioned to Korean girlfriends anything about the pill, they would look really uncomfortable.
Also, I've heard that Koreans think that if you take the pill, you will not be able to conceive a child later. I don't know what the sex education here consists of, but obviously the curriculum needs updating.

[Faunaki]