A campaign to legalise abortion is gaining ground in South Korea

A campaign to legalise abortion is gaining ground in South Korea

But politicians are ducking the issue
Nov 9th 2017

WHEN So-yeong, a pupil in secondary school, found out she was pregnant in January, she was at a loss. She knew abortion was illegal, and that she could be sent to jail for a year for getting one (doctors providing them risk two years behind bars). But she also knew that she could not keep the baby if she wanted to continue her education. Eventually she told her parents. Her mother arranged for a surreptitious abortion at a hospital, paying in cash. So-yeong (she asked that her real name not be used) tried to return to school in March “with a heavy heart”, only to find out that she was being expelled for “setting a bad example” to her peers.

In September a petition appeared on a government website, calling on the government of Moon Jae-in, the president (and the first liberal to hold the office in ten years), to amend the law.

Continued at source: https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21731135-politicians-are-ducking-issue-campaign-legalise-abortion-gaining-ground-south