Notes on South Korea's Birth Rate Crisis and Abortion Activism (Part 4 Ch. 8)

South Korea's Birth Rate Crisis

  • Crisis Overview

    • By late 2010s, South Korea's declining birth rate became an urgent crisis.

    • Politicians and media expressed concerns over a potential national catastrophe.

    • Young women viewed as key to reversing the low birth rate.

  • Government Initiatives

    • Online Birth Map (02/2016):

    • Introduced to show the distribution of childbearing-age women across the country.

    • Faced criticism for being tone-deaf and sexist.

    • Immoral Medical Practice Declaration (02/2016):

    • Government aimed to label performing abortions as immoral.

    • Doctors faced potential suspension of licenses for violating this rule.

    • Caused significant backlash, leading to boycotts by nearly 2,000 doctors.

  • Public Outcry and Activism

    • Women expressed anger over being held responsible for low birth rates.

    • Protests inspired by Polish women’s fight for abortion rights.

    • South Korean students, led by activists like Sim, organized a black protest in October 2016:

    • Key Messages: "My uterus is not public property" and "Decriminalize abortion".

    • Symbol of protest included black flags and coat hangers, signifying solidarity with Poland.

  • Personal Accounts

    • Participants shared personal stories, highlighting stigma surrounding abortion:

    • A young woman compared unwanted pregnancies to being imprisoned.

    • One protestor highlighted the unfair stigma regarding illegitimate children, questioning the absence of terms for irresponsible fathers.

    • Another woman urged the crowd to voice their anger against societal pressures on women.

  • Continuation of Protests

    • Protests persisted across major cities where hundreds participated, advocating against the perception of women as mere vessels for childbirth:

    • Statements like "Women are not baby-making factories" reiterated.

    • Older generations shared experiences of government-induced reproductive control, connecting past policies to current crises.

  • Cultural Impact

    • Discussions around abortion shifted, with growing acceptance of women sharing their abortion stories.

    • Increased awareness about societal pressure and governmental control over women's reproductive rights.

    • Activists started connecting with global movements such as campaigns in Ireland and Argentina to change abortion laws:

    • Global Influence: Influence from sign campaigns in Seattle and solidarity with various feminist movements around the world.

  • Outcome

    • Government revised its declaration on abortion.

    • Public discourse intensified, promoting calls for abortion decriminalization amid rising global feminist movements.