South Korea's historic lifting of the ban on fetal sex determination on February 28, 2024, the first change in 37 years, has sparked global attention.
Since 1987, South Korea has enacted a law prohibiting pregnant women from determining the sex of the fetus, with the aim of preventing selective abortion due to patriarchal ideology, thereby avoiding the problem of an imbalance between men and women. However, with the progress of the times and the change of attitudes, the perception of gender issues in Korean society is gradually changing. In its decision, the Constitutional Court explained the reasons for this, pointing out that the improvement of the socio-economic status of women and the deepening of gender equality had led to a significant reduction in traditional patriarchal attitudes. Many pregnant women have organized to petition the courts for approval of fetal sex determination, believing that they have a right to know the sex of the fetus. After deliberation, the court held that parents have the right to know the sex of the fetus, which was unduly restrictive under the previous law. As a result, South Korea officially lifted the restriction on the sex of the fetus.
The impact of this decision on the concept of gender equality in the future deserves our common attention, and we should take this opportunity to call on countries around the world to pay more attention to women's rights and build a fairer society.