The Health Education Forum, a civic group comprised of around 3,000 Korean health teachers, said Wednesday it supports the Seoul government’s tentative plan to install free condom dispensers in schools and public health centers.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced in late November that it would consider supplying free condoms to middle and high school students to prevent unwanted pregnancies. If finalized, the government will install free condom dispensers at nurse’s offices in schools and public health centers, it said.

The plan aims to address the problem of low contraceptive use among teens that are having sex and getting their periods at an earlier age, it said.

Of sexually active teens, five out of 10 Korean middle school students do not use contraceptives during sex, a 2015 survey on 21,000 teens by Samsung Medical Center found. Around 5 percent of middle and high school students are sexually active, other data showed.

Korean teens are also having sex at an earlier age than before, with the average teen becoming sexually active at around 13 years old, according to a local survey. Meanwhile, girls are getting their periods earlier, at about 12 years old, increasing the risk of unwanted pregnancies, the civic group said.

The government’s announcement has met some backlash, with parents and religious organizations saying handing out condoms will encourage teens to have sex.

The Health Education Forum said in its statement Wednesday that teens are having sex regardless – a reality that should be dealt with open discussion and practical measures.

Countries like Belgium and Australia offer condom dispensers at schools and support centers so that adolescents can get condoms, the civic group added.

“Teen sexuality has become a severe social problem that can no longer be swept under the rug. Although the low contraceptive rate in Korea may be due to ineffective sex education, the difficulty of accessing condoms may also play a part,” the Health Education Forum said in the statement.

It noted sex education in middle and high schools barely reached 50 percent despite the law requiring it be taught in schools. Middle and high schools offer sex education only as an elective course, it said.

Meanwhile, the Seoul government and the Education Ministry requested students, teachers, and related groups to participate in a public debate to discuss the issue.

yjc@docdocdoc.co.kr

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