Controls to be tightened on illegal abortions

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Controls to be tightened on illegal abortions

Stricter measures to control illegal abortions are surfacing following an anti-abortion doctors’ group’s recent report of illegal procedures conducted by fellow obstetricians.

The Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced yesterday that it will revoke memberships for obstetrics hospitals that advertise, up to three times, that they conduct illegal abortions, whether via the Internet or other media outlets.

Earlier this month, Pro-Life Doctors, a group made up of obstetricians who oppose abortion, reported three obstetrics hospitals to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office for allegedly conducting illegal abortions. After heated media coverage, many obstetricians in Korea stopped performing abortions.

As more women have become desperate to find doctors who perform the operation, more hospitals have advertised that they perform abortions.

The association said it will issue a warning on discovering the first instance of an illegal abortion ad. If a second ad appears, the association will suspend the hospital’s membership for three months. The third offense will result in permanent loss of membership.


By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]

Related Korean Article

산부인과의사회, 회원 자격 박탈



대한산부인과의사회가 최근의 낙태 근절 논란과 관련, 인터넷에 낙태 수술 광고를 올리다 세 차례 적발되면 회원 자격을 박탈키로 했다.

대한산부인과의사회 장석일 부회장은 23일 “최근 의사회 윤리지침을 개정, 불법 인공임신중절 시술 광고가 세 차례 적발되면 의사회에서 제명키로 했다”고 밝혔다.

의사회는 2007년부터 인터넷 광고를 모니터링해 오면서 1차 적발 땐 서면 경고, 2차 적발 땐 3개월간 회원 자격 정지, 3차 적발 땐 행정기관에 고발토록 규정을 정했다. 하지만 고발 조치는 지금까지 한 번도 이뤄지지 않는 등 실효성 논란이 있어 왔다. 의사회에서 제명되면 각종 학회나 세미나 등의 정보를 제공받을 수 없고 참가도 제한된다.
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