공정위, ‘고추장·된장 가격 담합 혐의’ 5개 회사 현장조사

On September 28th, the civil society alliance announced that the approval of the "hormonal abortion drug" (medication for inducing abortion) by the Food and Drug Administration was a key milestone. Following President Yoon Suk-yeol's directive on July 7th, inter-ministerial consultations have been ongoing. The alliance urged the FDA to expedite its decisions, as the agency has delayed approval for five years and two months.

The FDA should prioritize providing safe and legal abortion access to women, as the international action day for safe and legal abortion is today, September 28th. If the approval is not granted by tomorrow, 100 individual requests are expected at the FDA. The constitutional court's 7 years and 5 months-long decision on the "abortion crime" is deemed irresponsible by both the legislature, which delayed passing legislation on "safe abortion" grounds, and the government, which has yet to establish a medical system for abortion.

The FDA has rejected the drug, which the World Health Organization designated as an essential medication in 2005, for five years and two months. This action violates women's rights to safe abortion and forces them to purchase unverified and expensive drugs through unofficial channels. President Yoon urged the government not to leave these matters unresolved, as he did in July.

The legislative affairs office has been conducting inter-ministerial consultations without legislation changes, but women have waited too long. The FDA must prioritize women's health rights and promptly review scientific evidence from abroad to expedite the review process. The Ministry of Health and Welfare should also ensure that abortion care and prescriptions are accessible to all socioeconomic groups through a comprehensive healthcare system.

Issues such as the number of allowed pregnancies, prescription criteria, health insurance coverage, and pricing are contentious. Most importantly, the government must prioritize guaranteeing women's safe abortion rights and expedite legislative reforms in relevant laws such as the Penal Code and the Maternal Health Act.