South Korea, one of the few industrialised countries where abortion is largely illegal, has introduced tougher regulations on the procedure, prompting nearly 2,000 doctors to refuse to carry out terminations in protest.
Legally, the world’s 11th-largest economy only allows abortion in cases of rape — which must be proved by the woman — incest and when the mother’s health is at risk, in which case the partner’s consent is required.
The ban is widely ignored, with abortions commonplace. A recent survey showed that one out of five women who have been pregnant have had an abortion, with only one percent saying they had a legal reason to terminate the pregnancy. Read more