▲ Officials at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety hold a press briefing on the introduction of abortion pills at the Seoul government complex on Sept. 16, 2026. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean Catholic Church has expressed "deep concerns" over government plans to formally introduce abortion pills and urged for a reconsideration.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK) made the call in a statement issued Wednesday after the government announced plans to allow the use of abortion pills by women up to nine weeks pregnant.

"The CBCK voices deep concerns as this measure would only institutionalize abortion in an 'orderly' manner, without changing its fundamental nature, while allowing a disregard for life to be more deeply rooted in our society," the organization said.

The Korean Catholic Church said the phased introduction of abortion pills is merely a "road map" to expand them, stressing that regardless of how well the process is built, it does not change the fact that the pill kills a human life in the womb.

The CBCK said a society that truly respects humans is not one that gets rid of the most vulnerable life to ease the difficulties of women but one that takes the responsibility so that women would not have to give up on new life.

In such a regard, it asked the government to build a social safety net that better helps women, such as providing housing and medical support, counseling services and strengthening joint responsibility of men in a legal framework.

"We eagerly ask the government and the National Assembly to deeply contemplate this and choose a path that both protects life while practically helping women," the organization said.

The government plans, under which abortion pills will be introduced in phases, came as related regulations remained unchanged following the Constitutional Court's 2019 striking down of the abortion ban.

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