Oral Pregnancy Termination Drug Under Review in South Korea; Widely Used in OECD Nations

South Korea is reviewing the approval of an oral medication for pregnancy termination, a drug already widely available in developed nations. President Lee Jae-myung has directed officials to consider its introduction.

The medication, commonly known as Mifegyne, is legal in 33 out of 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This represents 86.8% of the member states, highlighting its broad acceptance globally. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family reported that 101 countries worldwide permit the use of oral pregnancy termination drugs as of 2024.

Mifegyne consists of two active ingredients: mifepristone, which blocks the hormone necessary for pregnancy continuation, and misoprostol, which induces uterine contractions. Both components are recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as essential medicines since 2005. The WHO emphasizes the importance of these drugs in preventing deaths and infections associated with unsafe abortions, noting that 45% of global abortions are performed unsafely.

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Globally, 45% of abortions are performed unsafely. The use of abortion drugs can prevent deaths and disease infections.