The South Korean government recently launched a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for young girls, but many women and activists in South Korea have mixed feelings about it.

Starting June 20, the Health Ministry is to offer free vaccinations against HPV -- known to be the major cause of cervical cancer -- for girls aged 12. The vaccines, which are given in two shots over six months, are currently not covered by the national health insurance, and cost about 360,000 won ($307). While the program itself is beneficial, activists claimed that the government is selective when it comes to supporting young girls’ reproductive health.

So far, the health care policies targeting women and girls have been sporadic and selective, the activists say, with the general perception toward women’s health and their rights for social protection being contradictory.

For example, oral birth control pills and morning-after pills are currently not covered by the national health insurance. The nation’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety also recently decided to continue disallowing over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception pills at pharmacies.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Government recently announced that it would provide free sanitary pads for young girls who live below the poverty line in the region.

The decision was announced after a number of nongovernmental organizations revealed that some 60,000 young women aged 15-19 are estimated to have problems purchasing sanitary pads due to financial difficulties

When Kang Min-jin, a woman living in Seoul, was attending high school, forgetting her sanitary pads meant risking being scolded by teachers. There were free pads for students to use in the school’s infirmary, but Kang was never comfortable asking for one. “Teachers would say something like, ‘It’s your responsibility to purchase your own pads,’” Kang told The Korea Herald. 

“I think sanitary pads should be given for free to all female schoolchildren nationwide, regardless of their household income,” Kang said. “I don’t think (the issue of sanitary napkins) is any less of a public health issue (than the issue of HPV vaccinations).”

Yoon Jeong-won, a Seoul-based gynecologist, said it is ironic that the government is providing HPV vaccinations for free when most birth control drugs and treatments are not covered by the state health insurance in Korea.

“It has to do with how the state views young women’s bodies,” she said. “It does not want young women to develop cervical cancer. But at the same time, it does not want to grant free access to birth control pills. What does that say about women’s ownership of their bodies and their reproductive rights?”

Citing its own study with gynecologists and pharmacists, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety last month argued that overuse of morning-after pills could be a health threat to women, especially young girls, and many are “not informed enough” on birth control in general. Contrary to the ministry’s claims, LNG ECPs, the type of morning-after pills available upon prescription in South Korea, are very safe and pose no risk of overdose, according to the World Health Organization.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)