Birth Control Mumbo Jumbo

The issue of reproductive rights and women's sexuality in South Korea is a very interesting subject.

I feel like I say this on pretty much a daily basis, but Korea is such a place of contradictions. Women can buy birth control pills over-the-counter in Korea and it's ridiculously cheap; it's about $6 for a month's supply. However, buying birth control creates such a stigma and looks of complete disgust that Korean women don't purchase the very necessary and beyond-words-helpful drug.

Therefore, birth control pills are not used and the use of condoms in this country is pretty much non-existant from what I've been told. The use of DVD-bangs (movie rooms and "bang" is pronounced "bong" in Korean, although "bang" works quite well in this particular case) are widely used as a nice little home-away-from-home when kids these days go out for a quick date night while still living with mom and dad.

Consequently, the percentage of unplanned pregnancies, according to 1999 statistics, is about 25 percent.

I couldn't find any updated statistics of abortions in South Korea following 1999. According to the Truth and Reconciliation for the Adoption Community of Korea website, as of July 8, 2009 abortion is allowed in South Korea up to 24 weeks of pregnancy only in these cases: sexual assault or incest, if there is a danger to the mother's health, if there is a hereditary disease in the family or a contagious disease, such as AIDs or hepatitis. All other abortions are illegal.

Hmmm, given these facts I would think buying birth control by a young woman or females of certain ages would be a reason to celebrate. These women would be making the conscious decision to not get knocked up and, as far as I'm concerned, that's a damn good decision. I realize the obvious: perhaps people should not be having sex? But we all know that's not ever going to happen no matter who you are or which oppresive environment you live in. If people want to get it on, they're going to find a way to do it. 

I have a friend in Korea who was having some adverse reactions to some birth control she was taking and needed to see a doctor. She asked a Korean woman to go to the doctor with her to try to explain her symptoms to the non-English speaking doctor. When my friend mentioned to the Korean woman that she suspected her medical problems were due to the birth control she was taking the Korean woman completely lost it. She went on a huge rant about how my friend had no business taking birth control and shouldn't be doing something for "some man" and she was disgusted. Keep in mind my friend is in HER FRIGGIN' 30s and has been dating her boyfriend for quite some time and regardless of this information, it's none of the woman's damn business if a woman decides to make the educated decision to be on birth control. Baaaah!

The Korean woman then went on to tell my friend that under no circumstances should she tell the doctor she's on birth control because the doctor will judge her and it will not be a secret, everyone will know that she's on birth control and having sex. Bloody hell! So much for doctor/patient confidentiality.
Unfortunately appearances are everything in this culture, therefore if someone is seen purchasing birth control or condoms violent judgements will be passed to the point of ostracization. It's unfortunate that in an environment where methods of safe sex and birth control are readily available that more men, women, boys and girls are not taught that it's an acceptable way to take care of oneself and lauded for their responsibility.