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Abortion was decriminalized in 2021, by a 2019 order of the Constitutional Court of South Korea. In 1953, new criminal laws prohibiting abortion were legislated. In 1973, exceptions allowed abortions to be performed on grounds of rape, incest, the health of the mother, medical reasons or on grounds of disease of the parents. The abortion law was not strongly enfored, apart from some late pregnancy cases which were punished as homicide.

There are no specific abortion facilities in Korea. Usually abortion is operated in Obstetrics and Gynecological clinics.

A Spanish gentleman from a large Catholic family in Barcelona helped to connect and initiate the first ever vigil in South Korea. In 2020, one of the Catholic pro-life leaders proposed to start a prayer movement after the decision of the Constitutional Court  of Korea in 2019 to legalize abortion. The Pro-life committee of Seoul Archdiocese decided to participate in the movement actively with the people who were related to pro-life action groups in the Catholic parishes. Protestants have also attended, led and organised campaigns in Seoul.