Abortion has always been a hot button in almost every country for a long time. In America, for example, it has been debated since the 18th century. By 1880, all states had laws restricting abortion—with exceptions in some states if a doctor said an abortion was needed to save the life or health of the patient or for therapeutic reasons. Basically, there are two sides to the abortion debate. Some people are pro-life, insisting that a human life is valuable no matter what. Whether you are an elderly person or someone with disabilities, they think that what matters is life. Therefore, having an abortion is viewed as killing an innocent preborn human being who would have had a life if the pregnancy were allowed to continue. In contrast, others are pro-choice, asserting that women’s choices should be respected when it comes to abortion since it is women who decide whether to become a mother or not. These advocates also claim that we should be provided the option to deal with unplanned parenthood and unwanted pregnancy.

Meanwhile, many activists who are mostly women, are taking to the streets to protest for abortion rights in the U.S. today. Why so? On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which was a landmark decision of the Court in 1973. It ruled that the Constitution of the United States broadly protected a right to have an abortion before six months of pregnancy. Now, owing to the recent judgment, abortion is legal in some counties but illegal in others according to each state’s law. As of October 2023, abortion was fully banned in 14 states including Mississippi and Texas. There are no exceptions even for rape or incest. A further 21 states have banned abortion or restricted the procedure to earlier in a pregnancy than the standard set by Roe v. Wade. For instance, abortion is banned in two states, Georgia and South Carolina, after only 6 weeks of pregnancy. Also, two other states have banned abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy and three states have banned it after 15-18 weeks. However, 25 states such as California and New York have passed laws that maintain a woman’s ability to access abortion. Mostly, state funds cannot be used to cover the cost of the surgery there, though.

In the case of South Korea, in April 2019, South Korea's Constitutional Court made a landmark ruling, declaring a 66-year-old anti-abortion law unconstitutional. Before this ruling, abortion was only permitted in cases of rape, incest, or in life-threatening situations. Violating this law could have resulted in imprisonment with a maximum sentence of two years. The court's decision emphasized that the anti-abortion law unconditionally enforced pregnancy and childbirth, disregarding varying socioeconomic circumstances. This was seen as a violation of the principle of proportionality, prioritizing fetal life over a woman's right to choose.

Four years later, the legal framework remains unresolved. No new legislation has replaced the abolished anti-abortion law, and the issue remains in a deadlock. A 2021 survey by the Korean Women's Development Institute found that 81.6% of women who had surgical abortions were concerned about the financial burden. Additionally, discussions about including abortion in health insurance coverage have not progressed.

Abortion rights are subject to diverse perspectives. The pro-choice view supports a woman's right to decide about her body, including choosing abortion. Advocates argue that legal access to abortion is vital for women's reproductive health and autonomy. Conversely, the pro-life standpoint believes life begins at conception and opposes abortion on moral grounds. Political affiliations also significantly shape opinions on abortion rights, with conservatives leaning toward pro-life positions and liberals supporting pro-choice stances.

Considering the array of ethical, religious, medical, and sociological factors, the abortion debate remains a complex and pressing issue. Continuing discussions and making progress on this topic are crucial. Recent events, such as the overturn of the Roe v. Wade abortion ruling, underline that these debates are ongoing and legislative changes can occur at any time. Are we prepared for the challenges they may bring?