eFM News

[Anchor]

A recent poll shows the number of abortions in the country is on a steady decline.

The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs announced the result of a survey it conducted online from September to October last year on 10,000 women aged 15 to 44.

Experts and activists are saying, however, that the trend should not water down the need to revise the country's decades-old anti-abortion law.

Jeong-eun Lee reports.

[Reporter]

The state-run institute estimated that about 50,000 abortions were performed in the country in 2017, less than a third of the 2010 figure.

Compared to the figure in 2005, it marks an 85 percent decline.

It also said an increasing use of birth control and a decreasing number of fertile women in the country could have led to the plunge.

However, obstetricians and gynecologists in the country have long disputed government figures on abortion.

They say it is unlikely the respondents gave honest answers, as current law defines getting an abortion as a crime that warrants a year in prison and a fine of up to 2 million won.

It allows abortion in only exceptional cases, such as when pregnancies are caused by rape or incest and when the mother's health is at risk.

The anti-abortion law dates back to 1953 and is currently under review at the Constitutional Court.

Over 75 percent of the surveyed women in the latest poll supported amending such regulations.

Jeong-eun Lee, eFM News.■