The criminality of abortion in Korea.

Abstract

The wholesale importation of European laws into Korea, including the criminality of a woman undergoing an abortion, is called into question. In order to determine Korean attitudes among the professionals involved in the maintenance and prosecution of the law, a questionnaire was sent out to physicians, judges, public prosecutors, and practicing lawyers in Seoul and Pusan concerning their attitudes toward birth control and abortion, the criminality of abortion, and the influence of religion upo n abortion attitudes. An overwhelming 86.5% considered birth control "very necessary." 78.6% though abortion was "sometimes necessary," and 67.5% thought that "many" abortions were being performed in Korea. 81.4% felt that abortion was justifiable for certain causes. Chief among these were: ill health of the pregnant woman (90.1%), possible birth defect (87.6%), rape (62.8%), and single status of pregnant woman (32.2). Religious attitudes and profession tended to influence the reason's one considered abortion wrong. To have laws that are rarely enforced and are not supported by the people is considered bad morally as it tends to undermine faith in the legal system. Rescinding the law on criminal abortion or revising it to permit abortion on justifiable grounds is recommended.