South Korea to Gain Regulatory Approval for Abortion Pill by Early 2027
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will approve abortion pills by Q1 2027.
Why it matters: This addresses a critical regulatory gap since the 2019 Constitutional Court ruling decriminalized abortion but left legislation outdated. It impacts compliance and healthcare standards for medical abortion in South Korea.
- South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety aims to approve a combined mifepristone and misoprostol abortion pill by Q1 2027, for pregnancies up to nine weeks (Ministry announcement).
- For the first two years after approval, abortion pills must be prescribed and dispensed only by hospital doctors to ensure safety and oversight (Prime Minister Han Seong-sook statement).
- The 2019 Constitutional Court ruling decriminalized abortion but did not update the legal framework to regulate medication abortions, creating a healthcare gap (legal analysis).
- In 2020, roughly 32,000 abortions were performed in South Korea, mostly surgical; some women reportedly used misoprostol without approval (Health Ministry report).
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) officially announced plans to approve its first abortion pill by the first quarter of 2027. The medication will combine mifepristone and misoprostol, intended for pregnancies up to nine weeks, according to an MFDS press release.
This move responds to a legal and regulatory gap that arose after the 2019 South Korean Constitutional Court ruling decriminalized abortion but left legislation largely unchanged. As a result, there was no formal approval system for medication abortions, despite some reported off-label use of misoprostol.
The government intends to prioritize patient safety by requiring that, for the first two years following approval, the abortion pill be prescribed and dispensed exclusively by doctors at hospitals. This protocol was emphasized by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, who said, "Safety is more important than anything else. We must come up with measures to help women in need to receive treatment within the safe medical system, rather than having to rely on unverified methods." This was detailed in an official government briefing on June 15, 2024.
Gender Equality and Family Minister Won Min-kyong characterized the approval as a significant advancement toward safer pregnancy termination and enhanced government oversight during a press conference.
Data from the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare indicates that approximately 32,000 abortions were performed in 2020, the majority through surgical methods. Some women reportedly resorted to unapproved use of misoprostol. The legalization and regulation of abortion pills are expected to bring South Korea's healthcare practices into alignment with over 100 countries already integrating medication abortion into their health systems.
By the numbers:
- 32,000 abortions — estimated total procedures in South Korea in 2020, majority surgical (Health Ministry report)
- Q1 2027 — Ministry of Food and Drug Safety targeted approval date for abortion pill
- 2 years — period during which abortion pills will be available only via hospital-based doctors after approval
Yes, but: While the approval marks substantial progress, access will initially be limited to hospitals, potentially restricting availability in rural or underserved areas.
What's next: The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will continue public consultations and clinical reviews through 2025 to finalize the approval and set distribution protocols.