Catholic Bishops' Conference: "Abortion Cannot Be Justified... Strong Opposition to the 'Mother and Child Health Act Amendment'"

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The Korean Catholic Bishops' Conference has expressed deep regret and voiced opposition to the legislative initiative of the "Partial Amendment to the Mother and Child Health Act," which was recently proposed in the National Assembly by Democratic Party lawmaker Nam Insoon.

On the 23rd, the Bishops' Conference issued a statement, asserting that the proposed amendment "directly violates the dignity and right to life inherent to all persons as stipulated in Article 10 of the Constitution, as well as the state's duty to protect these rights."

The Bishops' Conference first pointed out, "The bill seeks to redefine the act of abortion by changing the term from 'artificial pregnancy termination surgery' to 'artificial pregnancy termination,' thereby using a more neutral expression." They further stated, "Using the neutral term 'termination' instead of 'surgery' obscures the essence of life, diminishes the value of life, and blurs the ethical perception of abortion." They also expressed concern that "this rhetorical shift in language could lead to abortion being recognized not as a 'choice to end life' but as a 'therapeutic decision,' resulting in a dangerous cultural shift that reduces the grave act of ending life to a routine medical procedure."

The Bishops' Conference continued, "If the bill institutionalizes all forms of abortion, not only surgical but also medical methods, the actual number of abortions could increase sharply, and it may become difficult to protect women's physical and psychological health." They added, "By applying health insurance coverage to this act, there is an attempt to establish a system in which the state supports abortion procedures with public funds." They emphasized, "This is a fundamental violation of the state's duty to protect the right to life, normalizes abortion as a mere medical choice, and poses a serious risk of undermining social standards regarding the value of life."

The Bishops' Conference earnestly appealed, "We urge the state to establish laws and systems that respect and protect both the right to life of the fetus and the rights of women." They further stated, "In this era of low birth rates, every effort must be made to enact policies and legislation that allow women to feel secure in pregnancy and childbirth, provide various counseling services regarding the risks and side effects of abortion, recognize the conscientious right of patients and doctors to refuse abortion, promote activities to improve social culture, and support social welfare activities."