SPOTLIGHT 22/04/03 Korean Christians join prayer campaign to oppose abortion

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Korean Christians join prayer campaign to oppose abortion 

Three Christian groups are observing a 40-day Prayer for Life campaign in South Korea

A Christian holds a pro-life sign at a street in South Korean capital Seoul during the 40-day Prayer for Life campaign. (Photo: Catholic Times of Korea) 

By UCA News reporter

Published: April 05, 2022 09:41 AM GMT

South Korean Christians have been participating in prayer, fasting and voluntary activism to raise awareness about the protection of life and to oppose abortion.

Christians are observing a global Prayer for Life campaign from March 2 to April 10. As part of the initiative, they take to the streets holding placards with pro-life slogans, Catholic Times of Korea reported on April 3.  

“Please protect life,” read a placard carried by a young Catholic in front of Hongik University in capital Seoul.  

“A fetus is a human being from the beginning. Please protect the fetus,” reads the poster of another Catholic.

Campaigners have also distributed a booklet containing texts and pictures with anti-abortion messages and prayer intentions for the end of abortion. The booklet has been prepared by Beautiful Picket, a Korean non-profit, pro-life organization.

“Pray to end abortion, pray for a world without abortion” is one of the messages.

“I felt like a fetus in this situation. Praying silently in the middle of the street, and seeing people passing by, I can't say it out loud, but it meant that I felt like a fetus in my womb”

The booklet suggests a day of prayer for mothers of babies who use the pregnancy support centers.

Cecilia Bae Seong-mi, a 53-year-old Catholic from Sinsu-dong Parish in Seoul, joined the campaign on the streets.

“I felt like a fetus in this situation. Praying silently in the middle of the street, and seeing people passing by, I can't say it out loud, but it meant that I felt like a fetus in my womb,” Bae said. 

"Even if it seems like I'm just standing there doing nothing, I'm silently screaming 'I'm alive' just like the fetus. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to feel this way." 

Gloria Lee Ye-jeong, a 31-year-old Catholic from Gocheok-dong Parish of Seoul, said she didn’t stop praying silently for protection of life since she came across the pro-life campaign. 

“The prayer to recognize and publicize the preciousness of life is essential in a society that considers sexual intercourse as entertainment or play rather than life-conceiving,” she said.

Lee said she was surprised when she first came to know about the campaign.

"I thought prayers were only performed abroad, but I was surprised that they are doing it in our country as well. I am grateful to those who are already praying for a society so that life is respected," she said.

"A small act of activism can save one life by changing the hearts of those who believe in the power of prayer to stop abortion and make those women who want to have abortion"

Father Park Jung-woo, an official from Seoul Archdiocese’s committee for life, said if a small act can help save a life, that is wonderful.

"A small act of activism can save one life by changing the hearts of those who believe in the power of prayer to stop abortion and make those women who want to have abortion," the priest said. 

The 40-Day Prayer for Life is an international Christian campaign that was established by a pro-life group in Texas, US, in 2007 with the aim to end the “injustice of abortion.”

The campaign has attracted up to one million volunteers in 1,000 cities in 63 countries, the group says, adding that thanks to their campaign some 20,786 lives have been saved from abortion, 229 people have stopped abortion-related businesses and 114 abortion facilities have closed down.

In June 2021, the committee for life of Seoul Archdiocese, Pro-Life Medical Association and Beautiful Picket banded together to express solidarity with the campaign and decided to observe it in South Korea annually.

On April 11, 2019, South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled that criminalizing abortion was illegal and ordered the government to formulate a law to end the ban on abortion.

In January last year, the parliament passed legislative measures to declare criminalization of abortion as unconstitutional and to repeal the previous laws.

A bill to decriminalize to abortion up to 14 weeks of pregnancy is reportedly underway. It would also allow abortion for pregnancies from rape in between the 15th and 24th weeks.