President Lee: "Leaving Abortion Pills Unregulated Is Wrong... They Should Be Made Available"

President Lee Presides Over Cabinet Meeting on July 14

On July 14, President Lee Jae-myung stated regarding the abortion pill "Mifjin," "Even if there are challenges, we should ensure that it can be administered appropriately."

At the Cabinet meeting held that day, President Lee explained, "Because the debate over the scope of abortion rights has not concluded, the government has not permitted Mifjin," adding, "As women are taking abortion pills via overseas direct purchases, accidents are occurring. It is not right to leave the situation unattended this way."

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House on July 14, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Mifjin is a medication used to terminate pregnancies in the early stages, and it is an essential medicine designated by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, since the Constitutional Court's 2019 decision finding the abortion ban unconstitutional, the government has not enacted any subsequent legislation and has thus prohibited the import of Mifjin. As a result, illegal copies of the drug are being traded domestically.

When President Lee pointed out, "Isn't it irresponsible for the government to leave things in this manner?" Gender Equality and Family Minister Won Mi-kyung responded by saying, "The Mother and Child Health Act needs to be amended." President Lee replied, "Wouldn't it be enough simply to permit the drug? If the process becomes too complicated, the problems will only get worse."

President Lee also stated, "There may be countries where prescription medicines are sold without a doctor's prescription," and emphasized, "There could be ways to allow that approach as well." He went on to say, "Perhaps allowing physicians to decide at their own discretion could be a solution. Although it may be somewhat unstable, isn't that still better than simply neglecting the issue and allowing women to purchase the drug abroad without any prescription or oversight, and take it indiscriminately?"

In addition, President Lee instructed Prime Minister Han Sung-sook, "I hope a compromise solution can be found. This is not something we can just let pass," calling for discussions among government ministries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.