South Korea: Anti-abortion, pro-life
According to the Catholic agency Churches of Asia, in its bulletin of December 1, the number of abortions in South Korea is 1.5 million per year, that is 4,000 per day. Abortion was legalized in 1972 by a "Law for the health of the mother and child" (!) The Catholic Church has for many years been acting, in order to heighten the Koreans awareness of this grave question.
But "if the Church has always affirmed its opposition to the law of 1972, demanding its revision, its appeals have not been heard through failure to inform public opinion of the high stakes risks of this debate and failure to know how to arouse a wave of "pro-life" public opinion." That is why "we have changed our negative campaign denouncing the ravages of abortion, to a positive campaign in favor of the culture of life", explained Fr. John Bosco Hong, on the subject of "Life 31", a movement founded by the Catholic Church on February 7, 2003, which has gained the support of the heads of other religions. Taking its name from the fact that this year marks the 31st anniversary of the law legalizing abortion, this movement aims to obtain not only the abolition of the 1972 law, but also the abolition of capital punishment and the banning of the cloning of human embryos.
In order to promote its action, "Life 31" has launched a national campaign entitled: "For one more life". Last November 8, in a public park in Seoul, several demonstrations marked the launch of this campaign, which must spread to parishes, associations, schools and public places. Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, former archbishop of Seoul, and Mgr. Lee Ki-heon, bishop responsible for the armed forces and in charge of the campaign, took part in these demonstrations.
